


Run Boy Run

by WhiteWolfCub (SilverWolfCub)



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Adopted Siblings, Angst, Cause you gotta have some order in the chaos, Dream isn't human, Ender Dream, Fantasy AU, Fluff, Gen, He’s cold, Hurt/Comfort, Manhunt - Freeform, Some people aren't human, Someone get him a blanket, Violence, adopted families, both angst and fluff, kingdom au, mythical creatures, no beta we die like men, no respawn, or ten, permanent deaths
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-11
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:46:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 28
Words: 81,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27495922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWolfCub/pseuds/WhiteWolfCub
Summary: The hunters are after him again. They gave him a day of rest before they caught onto his trail and snuck up under the tree he was sleeping on.A hand grabbed his foot and yanked.As he fell, the pearl inside him grew cold, and he teleported away.Or, manhunt but the goal is to survive and Dream isn't human even though he craves warmth and comfort like one.
Relationships: Clay | Dream & GeorgeNotFound & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF), Clay | Dream & Toby Smith | Tubbo
Comments: 1234
Kudos: 2820
Collections: Long Fics to Binge, Random, Run Boy Run AU





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2.5k words.

_Decree 63- Date XX41_

_Due to the danger that borns and halfborns cause our innocent civilians, our great kingdom has put up a bounty for any and all borns that have broken any laws. If you come across a criminal born or halfborn, they are to be captured on sight. Any borns, criminal or not, from the dangerous borns list is to be registered or detained._

_If the born you come across is an Enderborn, Ender halfborn, or a Witherborn equivalent, they are to be killed on sight, due to their dangerous abilities. The bounty price of their masks are now 10k gold, their pearls are 20k gold each. A Witherborn's skull and stars are 15k gold each._

_Decree 111- Date XX67_

_Due to the hunting and killing of Enderborn and their halfs, they have been put on the Endangered list, along with Witherborn. In accordance with other kingdoms (including our two neighboring kingdoms and our territory L'Manburg) bounties on innocent borns are to be voided and banned immediately, unless we want to start a war on born ethics. Anyone with a newly acquired mask, pearl, skull, or star who got it after XX66 can and will be fined if they do not explain how they acquired said items._

_Decree 116- Date XX70_

_Witherborns and Wither Halfborns have been declared extinct. Enderborn and Ender Halfborns are Critically Endangered, with the number of Ender Halfborns unknown and only one Enderborn known to still exist on this plane._

_The king has set a bounty for the last Enderborn, wanted alive per our agreement with our neighboring kingdoms. Not much is known about this Enderborn, but extreme caution must be taken for every hunter planning to take on the bounty._

_Bounty- Enderborn_

_The last Enderborn still in the overworld. Known to wear green and has the signature Enderborn mask. Has no human name, goes by it's Ender name- Dream. Male in appearance. Must be captured and brought to the king alive. Bounty- 1M gold_

An iron axe cut through the bounty board outside of town, slicing his bounty in half. The man who owned the axe glared at the paper as it fluttered to the ground.

They upped the bounty again.

Dream sighed, glancing around before pulling his hood up and over his head, hopefully making his mask harder to see. The town was quiet, even though he had just chopped their bounty board in half. It didn't matter- the people of this village knew what he was and didn't care. He used to come here a lot when he was younger and looking for a place to rest. It was one of the last places that housed and hid Enderborns and their halfs from hunters. He also helped them when trolls or goblins would invade. They wouldn't rat him out.

He did need to leave, though. This town was already under watch for not killing Enderborns during the decree, and him being here would put them under hot water, even if the decree was no longer valid.

He grabbed his sack full of supplies off the ground, taking out some bread and tearing a piece off as he walked away. 1 million gold for his capture… he's tempted to turn himself in, if he's honest. That would be stupid, though. The new king might not be so trigger happy when it comes to exterminating an entire race like his dad was, but he was much more greedy and he liked exotic things. Either Dream would become the king's pet for the rest of his life, or the king would tire of his attitude and just kill him and take his pearl and mask. Neither sounded fun.

It's times like this where he wishes that he got the memo and followed the other Enderborns and Ender Halfborns (those who had one Enderborn parent and one human parent) to the end. That's where his family went, with the last of the Enderborns a few years back. They locked the portal behind them and he hasn't seen them since. Maybe if he were an Enderman, he could teleport through dimensions, but Enderborns don't have that power. They can't even control their teleporting that well.

The sound of rushing water got closer, and Dream put his axe away, looking ahead. A wide river that went farther than he could see sat in front of him. He looked around, but there wasn't any bridge he could see. Probably because the river wasn't too deep. He sighed, stepping closer. The wind picked up and some water splashed on him. Immediately he jumped back, waiting for the liquid to burn him or something.

He hated water. All Enderborns did.

Of course, it didn't hurt. He bit his lip, carefully stepping into the water. It was cold, colder than him, and he shivered, his already low body heat dropping significantly. Clutching his torso, he pulled his bag closer to his body and waded into the water.

He has good balance, it came with being a born. All borns have different talents, depending on what they come from. Enderborns are strong and usually taller than average, and Dream also got the extra endurance that comes with it. He's also colder than normal humans, and he can teleport, sometimes. Other borns have their own specialties- blazes burn hotter than usual and can sometimes start fires, as well as having better agility but usually being clumsier and more… childlike in personality and zombies are sturdier and can regrow limbs if the conditions are right. Halfborns usually only have physical traits- they're stronger or smarter or something, but they don't get powers like teleporting and whatnot. Some do, Dream knows a few, but it isn't normal.

A rock under his foot shifts, and his leg buckles. He catches himself, but his hand hits the water and scraps against a rock. It stings, and for a second he thinks it's the water's fault.

Dream freezes, forcing himself to stay calm. The water can't hurt him, _he's fine._ Raising his hand, he takes off the fingerless gloves and examines it. The black skin that surrounds his fingers and fades around his wrist is a normal sign of Enderborns, which is why he wears gloves (like his mask won't give him away already). The skin was redder than usual, rubbed raw and bleeding slightly. He sighed, replacing the glove and continuing through the river.

"Hey, you!"

He paused, turning behind him. There were two people on the side of the river he had come from, one holding a sword and the other armed with a crossbow. The one with the crossbow has on goggles that looked to be engraved with enchanted runes, but the one with the sword… he felt different.

He felt like Dream. Or, at least, somewhat like Dream.

That alone made Dream pause, standing still as the water rushed past him. Goggles boy spoke. "Are you Dream? The Enderborn?"

Oh, nevermind. They're _obviously_ hunters, which meant it was time for him to _go._ "No." He still said, turning around and continuing on his way. "I have places to be."

"He has the mask, George." He heard the other guy say to goggles boy- George. "It's definitely him."

"But don't they hate water?" George asked as he heard the other jump into the water and shiver. "Sapnap!"

"I hate water, and I'm in it." The other person, Sapnap, said. "Now, come on!"

Oh yes, they were _definitely_ _hunters._ "I don't really have time to talk right now." He tried again, jumping up to try and reach the river's edge faster.

"The king has a bounty up for you, Dream." Goggles- George said, in explanation. "You'll have time to talk with him."

Sapnap snorted. "That was awful."

"Shut up."

He might've chuckled in another situation, but definitely not now. He made it to the edge of the river, pulling himself out since the mud made his legs slide. The Enderborn scrambled up the bank, checking behind him to see where the two hunters were.

An arrow buried itself into his shoulder.

He cried out in shock more than pain, stumbling backwards and falling. He… he had been _shot,_ but, but they wanted him alive, right? No other hunters had ever _shot_ him before, was George so sure in his ability that he knew he wouldn't actually kill him?

The other man, Sapnap, was yelling at him, telling him to be careful. Fear rammed into his chest, causing his heart to start pounding behind his ribs. He let out a ragged breath, planting his hands on the ground and scrambling up.

He ran.

There were shouts behind him, but he didn't turn around, taking a sharp turn into the nearby forest. Hopefully if the forest had Ents they would be friendly. Something flickered into view, and suddenly George was _right next to him._ He yelped, jumping up and grabbing a tree branch, barely missing George lunge for him. How had they crossed the river so fast?!

He used the branch to propel him farther, almost swinging from the tree. His shoulder screamed as he tumbled to the ground, and he rolled to protect it. Springing up, he kept running, going into his bag to pull out his only health potion.

Something else glinted in the corner of his eye, and he saw an ender pearl fall in front of him. Suddenly, Sapnap was there.

An ender pearl. They had been killing endermen. He growled, and when Sapnap went to intercept him he ducked under, rising up to punch him in the jaw before kicking him back. He twisted, continuing to run.

He hated when humans killed Endermen. He was closer to them than humans, it was like killing other Enderborns. The fact that most of the hunters he faced had pearls always annoyed him.

The forest was ending in front of him, so he made another sharp turn, opening up his potion and taking a long swig before putting it away. He couldn't finish it for something as minute as a shoulder wound, but he couldn't let it keep bleeding. Almost immediately the pain ebbed, and he rolled his shoulder. There was a dull ache, but besides that, he was fine.

He heard the sound of another teleportation, and arms wrapped around his waist. Dream and the hunter fell to the ground, and he immediately twisted, going to scratch and claw whoever had caught him. Before he could warm hands grabbed his arms, and he paused, surprised.

Warm. _Warm._

Enderborns ran cold. Their pearls, which sat deep in their chests, were basically freezers, and it made the rest of their bodies icy cold. When normal people touch him, he rarely feels their warmth. It just makes _them_ cold.

But this hand. It was _warm._ Not just warm, but _hot._

He paused, staring wide-eyed at it, unknowingly basking in the warmth that it gave him. He hasn't felt this warm since he fell asleep by a lava pit. It felt heavenly, it felt _safe._

Then a body straddled his waist and he looked up to see that Sapnap was the one to grab his arms while goggles _(George-)_ was the one sitting on him, throwing his axe and bag away as he went for something in his own bag. "That wasn't that hard."

"I thought Enderborns would be faster." Sapnap murmured, shifting closer, and _dear god,_ it felt wonderful. He's never realized why humans craved warmth so much, but it felt so _nice-_ "He's cold."

"Enderborns always are." George mumbled, and Dream was stuck, almost entranced by the feeling. He wanted to sleep, if he really thought about it. He had slept by the lava pool and he's never had a deeper sleep before. He really should be struggling.

"It's kind of nice." Now that he was looking at them, he could actually start getting a closer read on them. Sapnap was probably younger than him, though it was hard to tell physically. The way he spoke and how he acted gave him a boastful, childlike appearance but if Dream was right, that might be because he's a born as well. George, on the other hand, acted much older than him, but he couldn't tell if he actually was.

Wait, what did he say?

"You're a Blazeborn, aren't you?" Dream snapped out, finally starting to struggle. "Thought they didn't like our kind in the kingdom."

Neither answered, but Sapnap looked hurt and Dream felt bad for a moment, before remembering that they were trying to _capture him_ and their feelings didn't matter. 

George did a short 'aha!', pulling out a pair of chains engraved with runes. Dream froze, eyes tracing over the carvings. They were binding runes, made to hold borns and keep them from using their powers. He'd lose his strength, endurance, and his ability to teleport once those things went on.

No, not happening.

He bucked, using his strength to throw George off of him. The man went flying, and Dream spun on the ground, taking Sapnap with him to the floor. Their bodies collided when he fell, and for a split second he wanted to give up just to bask in the _warmth,_ but then he came to his senses and jumped up.

Judging by Sapnap's slow movements, he felt the same way. Dream briefly wondered how it was to feel like you were always on fire. Because just like how normal humans automatically recoiled from how cold he was, they would jump back from how hot Sapnap was.

George shouted, knocking him out of his state, and Dream glanced at his bag, which was next to where George fell. His bag, and his axe. He glared but didn't go for it, turning around and running through the woods. He heard shouts behind him and somehow managed to pick up the pace.

A large tree sat a few yards ahead, and he jumped, grabbing at a branch. Using the momentum, he swung from the branch, pushing off with enough force to land squarely in another tree. He climbed a few branches higher until he was hidden in its leaves.

A few seconds passed before he could hear the hunters, and another few seconds past before he could see them. George came into view. He had Dream's bag and axe. "You'd just _let_ him get away!"

"He was really cold, it surprised me!" Sapnap defended himself, hands (which were covered in gloves) flailing. "It doesn't matter. You have the compass right?"

They got a compass? How?!

Dream narrowed his eyes. If they were talking about the type of compass he was thinking about, then he was in deep shit. Fuck.

Sure enough, goggles took out an enchanted compass. It pointed straight at the tree Dream was hiding in. He forced himself to stay still. "Says he's that way."

Damnit. How'd they get a compass like that? Dream's sure those were banned after Decree 111, which means the only ones who still had them were the _king._

Fuck.

Enchanted compasses like those are designed to find borns. Depending on how it's enchanted will show what kind of born it'll lead to. They're what made Decree 63 (or, as Dream calls it, the Genocide Decree) deadly in the first place. Enderborns (and Witherborns) couldn't hide. Enderborns already stick out for their masks (and Witherborns for their eyes) so it just made it harder to hide.

"It's getting dark." Sapnap observed, and one of his bangs caught on fire. Dream stared at it, and suddenly his brain was back on the _warmth_ he felt. He's disgustingly human sometimes, for being something that only mimicked a human. "Let's get out of the woods and then set up camp."

George laughed. "You're not starting the fire."

"I'll get it this time!" Sapnap pouted, patting out his burning hair. The two started walking away.

Dream waited until he could no longer hear them before jumping out of the tree. He could either tail them and get his stuff back, or he could go and restock somewhere _far_ away from here.

Well, he did have someone to visit.

With one last look back, he started running away, leaving them behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kay guys, there's no shipping here but like my last story idgaf if you do ship, have fun or whatever. I will say though, that if you do, Dream and Sapnap will be the easiest pair cause I'm going hard on the cold/hot dynamic they got going on.  
> I'm also going hard on Tubbo and Dream being siblings in everything but blood, and the sleepy boys are adopted siblings IDon'tMakeTheRulesIJustFollowThem. Updates once to three times a week, probably.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Italics is for flashbacks, writing (like the decrees and bounties), emphasis, and thoughts._  
>  **_Bolded italics is for different languages, and anything that has to do with Ender._ **  
> This isn't to important this chapter but it'll be helpful in the chapters to come. Also, the order the characters are in the tags is the order they appear.  
> 3k words.

Ever since the Genocide Decree, borns of all types have been on the run. Whether you were something passive like a Dogborn, or something dangerous like a Sirenborn, you had to be careful. 

The Decree was before Dream's time. He's honestly surprised he was even born. They were always moving, constantly on the run. His older siblings said there was a time where they had an actual house they lived in, but one night their parents packed up and left. Dream didn't think anything of it, it was all he knew.

Then a hunter appeared and almost killed his little sister.

That's when he found out that humans didn't like him.

It's also when he found out why Enderborns wear masks.

He's always liked Endermen. They would regularly appear around their family, speaking in hushed but soft whispers, playing with him when he was older and keeping him safe when he was younger. They'd pat his head and help him with Ender when he'd mess up on words. He'd look them in the eyes and laugh and giggle and would awe and stare when they unhinge their jaws to show him they could. He knew that only Ender people (Endermen, Enderborn, Ender Halfborn) could look at Endermen and not get mauled. He just thought that was a thing that only Endermen had to deal with.

He didn't realize Enderborns were the same.

Enderborns can turn feral when a human looks them in the eye. Other borns and halfborns are safe, but they change when humans lock eyes with them. That's why they wear masks, to stop that from happening. He thinks Ender Halfborns are lucky, since they don't have that trait.

He remembers it vividly, the hunter incident. Someone older pulling him away, protecting him with their own body. An Enderman was next to them, screeching and crying, maw gaping. The hunter, with his greedy eyes, hand outstretched and grabbing his little sister's mask.

He saw them lock eyes. He saw her change. Saw her jaw unhinge, saw black limbs emerge from her back, saw her hands turn into claws. He was young, she was younger, maybe only five.

She killed him, made the body unrecognizable, and she was only five.

He understood then, why they always wear masks. And why Decree 63 was made in the first place.

They were dangerous, and humans were scared.

Dream shivered, studying his arrow wound. He had torn it out before he drank the potion, and it had closed mostly, leaving red scarring tissue in its wake. With his arms now showing, he could easily see the black markings that went up his arms and stopped at his neck. They outlined blueish-green glowing symbols, born symbols. Another way to tell he wasn't normal. It's why he always wore hoodies. He sighed, pulling his black turtleneck sweater back over his body and shoving his arms through his hoodie. The warmth the clothes provided used to make him smile, but now it felt small in comparison.

He felt so human, it was sickening.

Enderborn aren't human. They're Ender. Just like Blazeborn and Sirenborn and every other born isn't human. They're just a different type of whatever mob, evolved to blend in better with humans. They have human traits and human ideas, but they aren't. It's all just twisted mimicry, a way to adapt, a chance to live.

Fat chance it gave them.

When Dream was younger he hated the heat. He liked to cuddle close to his mother and bask in the cool chill she released. But even before his family went to the End and he split off with them he started to feel the change. The want for warmth. For contact. For _something_ that would make him feel human.

_"That's normal, hun." His mom had told him. “We're born, we're made to want what humans want. It's just a part of growing up."_

_Dream had been young and stubborn and the mauling of that hunter was still burned into the back of his eyes. "But they don't like us, so why do we pretend to be like them?"_

_"Because they won."_

He had been 12 or so when he started to crave warmth. At 14, he started to go out on his own, looking for lava pockets or creating furnaces to lean on. At 15, his parents decided to move to the end, and the idea of living forever in the cold made him decide to stay.

His pearl didn't help out, either. Enderborn, like Endermen, all had pearls inside of them. It's what allowed them to teleport. Endermen all had the same colored pearl, while Enderborn pearls could be a wide range of colors. Its what made them so valuable on the black market. While when nonenders use pearls they break, Enders can use them as much as they want. The thing is, pearls use Ender (and thus void-) magic to work, and that is _cold._ It's why Endermen are always freezing, and it's why Enderborn burn at a low temperature. It's even worse right after a teleport- his chest feels like it's made of ice.

The sun started to set, and Dream looked at his surroundings. He recognized the area- he was close to his destination. L'Manburg was a territory that fought for it's independence from the king shortly after the Genocide Decree. It's a safe haven for borns of all types, and as long as he's in their walls no hunter could come for him. The place was even run by a Siren Halfborn, a close friend of his.

He picked up the pace, stomach clenching at the thought of food. He hadn't stopped to eat the entire way here, which was almost two days. Barely slept either. He didn't want the hunters to catch him unaware.

There had been other hunters, other humans that had gone after him. It's why he's always moving, never setting down. He's not the type anyway, but building up a life is terrible when people are coming to catch you. The normal hunters usually give up when they see that he outranks them in speed, strength, and intelligence, but the other two, they felt different.

He's never seen a born hunter before.

Black walls appeared in front of him, and he grinned, turning the corner and making his way to the gates. Luckily, a familiar face was the one guarding them. "What'd you do this time?"

"Dream!" Tommy, one of the only humans in the town, grinned. He raised his arms, flipping the mechanism to open the gate. "Big D! I did nothing, for the record. Wilbur just thought I needed to pitch in a bit more here. As if I wasn't already doing a lot, being his right hand man. The nerve of-" he trailed off, looking Dream up and down. "Hey, you okay man? You're looking a bit worn. Got some hunters or something tailing you?"

This wasn't the first time he'd come to L'Manburg while being chased. It was the best place to stock up on stuff without worrying about who could show up behind you. He's showed up at their walls before, in a lot worse of a condition then he is now. "Yeah, but they're still a bit out. Where's Tubbo?"

"Oh, he's going to be so happy." Tommy grinned, bouncing about. Once Dream entered the territory, he closed the gates. "You gotta visit more often man, he misses you a lot."

Almost on cue, there was the sound of teleporting, someone called his name, and then he was being tackled by the boy in question. Tubbo had grown a bit since he last saw him. His eyes were a brighter blue then normal and his fingers were black. "You're late!"

"Sorry." He had said he'd visit more often. Tubbo grinned, having already forgiven him. His slightly colder than normal skin grew goosebumps as he hugged Dream. "I've been having to move around more often."

With the raising of his bounty. The king's been after him for over a year now, with the bounty first starting at 100k gold and slowly climbing as hunters came back empty. It was annoying, but in all honesty, he'd rather it be him then Tubbo.

He first met the boy right after his family went to the end. He had followed them to the portal and had watched them and other Ender go through, and after everyone was gone he helped lock the portal. When he left the stronghold, though, he was met with a little boy in a boat playing in a nearby pond.

"Hello." He was so young, why was he alone? "I'm Tubbo. Are you an Ender? I can tell by the mask."

"I am." He said, because what could the little kid do to him? "Why are you here? Where's your family?"

"They went through the portal." Tubbo had explained. "Well, most of them did. Mom died a while ago, so dad and my siblings went through. Dad said I could stay if I wanted, since I can pass as normal."

That's when Dream found out that he wasn't the last human looking Ender in the overworld.

Tubbo was an Ender Halfborn, one of the rare ones that can use powers. He's better at teleporting then Dream was, really. He and Tubbo spent the better part of a year wandering around, a teenager and a kid just trying to survive. Then one day Tubbo made a friend and that led them to L'Manburg. That friend, Tommy, made Wilbur get their adoptive father (an ex L'Manburg general) to give them sanctuary. Dream left eventually -because no matter how much of a sanctuary the place was he was still an Enderborn and they were still to be killed on site- but he had Tubbo stay, because it was a better place to grow up.

They never found out about him. Dream would rather keep it that way.

"You better." Tubbo frowned at him, releasing him. "You look like poo. Come on, Wilbur will patch you up."

He didn't bother saying that he was fine, just letting his little brother in everything but blood lead him around. The small territory was slowly getting bigger and bigger, as the population rose and more land was acquired. Tubbo led him along a bright street, waving at pixies and fairies and the occasional ghost as they passed, all while chatting loudly with Tommy. He forgets, L'Manburg was a sanctuary for magical creatures as well.

They reached the pub, and Dream could hear music playing inside. Tubbo opened the door and pulled him in.

"Tubbo, I was wondering where you- ah, Dream." Wilbur sat on a table, lute in his hand. The Siren Halfborn had been playing, obviously. He could tell, since dark turquoise scales would run up his neck and the side of his face whenever he sang or played music. The scales hadn't disappeared yet, and his eyes were blue. When he smiled, his teeth were still sharp too, but they were slowly going back to normal human teeth. "How are you, man? Guessing not well, judging by the blood."

"You're injured?!" Tubbo whirled around, as if he hadn't seen the blood on his hoodie. "I tackled you!"

Dream laughed, the end of it coming out a little airy. "I drank half a health potion, I'm fine."

"Was it hunters?" Wilbur asked, and when he nodded he sighed. "It could've been tipped. I need to have a look." He turned back to the other people in the pub. "I'm out for tonight!"

There was a chorus of aw's and goodbyes. They left, and Tommy, who was waiting outside, snickered. "You’re really siren'd up today, huh Wilbur?"

Wilbur smacked his adopted brother upside the head, and Tommy cackles, darting away when he goes to do it again. "Shut up, you pest. So Dream, besides Tubbo, what brings you here?" His eyes, which were slowly going brown, sharpened. "Who can we expect?"

"Supplies." Dream started. "And two hunters, one with goggles and the other is a Blazeborn. Full, I think."

Wilbur blinked, surprised, and Tommy cut in. "A born hunter? Huh? I thought you guys hated hunters."

"Maybe he's just in it for the money." Tubbo suggested. "And you're wanted alive, right?"

"Like being turned into a royal pet is any better." Wilbur muttered, and Dream said nothing, because he knew it was personal for Wilbur. He had, for a short time, been in that position. 

From what Dream knows, his mother was a Sirenborn and his father was a L'Manburg general. One time, when he was young, before the Genocide Decree had been voided the kingdom fought in a skirmish with L'Manburg. His father was killed and he was captured and brought to the king as a 'war criminal'. A kid at that time. They were going to kill him, but the king is a greedy man who thought Wilbur's voice was soothing and decided to keep him as a pet instead. Borns had no rights in this kingdom, there were no laws against it. He was stuck there for three months before one of his dad's close friends broke him out. That friend adopted him, Tommy, and another born Dream knows.

"He might not have a choice." Tommy says, and shrugs when the others look at him. "What? Blazeborns are, like, number 5 on the dangerous borns list, right under Guardianborns. Maybe they're making him do this or they'll kill him, or something."

He hated that list. Enderborns were number 1 there, because of their feral tendency when their eyes are met. The list has been around for awhile, and it's one of the reasons why the Genocide Decree happened in the first place.

They reached the house Wilbur and Tommy stayed at (Tubbo, too. He had his own place but he almost always bunked with Tommy). Wilbur scaled the stairs before running back down with a few potions and some gauze. He sat down on a stool, removing clothes that would get in the way of Wilbur's doctoring.

Both Tommy and Tubbo stared at the markings on his arms. Tommy was human, and Tubbo was only a Halfborn, so neither of them had markings over their own. He thinks Wilbur has a small marking on the back of his neck, but it's rare for Halfborns to get them, just like it's rare for Halfborns to get the abilities of a regular born. Tubbo and Wilbur were the only Halfborns he knew that had the powers of a regular born.

His thoughts went back on the hunters. Usually when he took a break at L'Manburg the hunters would wait outside or give up. They weren't allowed in, but with Sapnap and George it'll be different. L'Manburg has a policy- all borns are welcomed. He wonders what'll happen after that.

His mind wanders back to the Blazeborn, and what he was thinking before. How would it be to always run hot? Would you sweat more often, would you shiver less? Dream shivers a bit more than the regular person, but he rarely ever sweats. He wonders if it's the opposite for him.

He's never met a Blazeborn before Sapnap.

He's also surprised with how he and goggles- human- _George_ interacted. They were hunting someone down but bantering and making jokes along the way. It was strange.

"They were nice." Dream didn't realize he was speaking, mostly murmuring to himself. "He was warm."

Wilbur stopped cleaning his wound, looking at him. Tubbo frowned, sympathetic. Everyone knew Enderborns were cold- they were one of the coldest borns. Tubbo knew how it felt to be cold and wanting to get warmer but not being able to, and the others understood the internal distress it caused. They also knew that Blazeborns are one of if not the _hottest_ born, and opposites would cancel each other out, right?

Tubbo's hand grabbed onto his own. "There's a Blaze Halfborn here." He said. "I can introduce you two."

And of course the others would be worried about him getting some human attachment to the hunter because he craved warmth. It didn't matter if he slept better by lava or furnaces or under several layers of wool, he didn't get attached to those, so he wouldn't get attached to the other born.

He's lying to himself.

"Don't wanna bother them." He murmured when he realized he had been quiet for too long. "It's fine."

Wilbur poured a bit of the healing potion on his wound, rubbing it in gently before bandaging it. "Your room is still here, just like you left it. Remember which one?"

"Across from Techno's and beside Phil's, last door in the hallway- yeah, I know." Dream stood up, happy his face covered his emotions. He's tempted to take it off, but Tommy was here and Tommy's human and he would kill himself before ever hurting that kid. "I'll need some supplies tomorrow. I lost all of mine."

Wilbur grinned. "We always put aside extra for you. Food, a potion, and a few wool blankets."

"I need a new bottle too, for water." Dream added, making his way to the stairwell. He ruffled Tubbo's hair on his way. "Thanks."

"Of course." Wilbur knew it wasn't just a thanks for this, but for everything. Giving him sanctuary, taking Tubbo in, everything. "Sleep tight, and tell me if you need more blankets."

He wished he didn't talk about warmth out loud.

He climbed the stairs, stopping at the second floor and walking through the hallway. He entered his room to find it exactly like it was before. The entire room was painted black with black curtains, to hide the light so that he could wake up naturally, since he rarely slept and needed all the time he could get. His bed covers were dark green and covered in pillows and wooly blankets. The amount usually still had him a little under human temperature, but the furnace in the corner was full of coal, and that would bring him over into a comfortable heat. He stepped forward, closing the door behind him and toeing off his boots, grabbing the flint and steel sitting on the furnace and striking the coal. A flame started up, and he closed the furnace door, enjoying the warmth it emitted.

_It wasn't the same._

He frowned at the thought, standing up and checking the room once more before moving to the bed. It was big- it could easily fit three people and then some. Wilbur added it to the room once he realized that Tubbo would usually join him whenever he came to visit. Dream thinks it's an Ender thing- wanting the heat but relishing in the cold of another of their kind. He enjoyed it, and it really set in the fact that Tubbo was alive and safe. Sometimes he'll forget, and he'll think he's back in time, when he was young and taking care of the boy. They'd get hunters then, too; they'd be tracking Dream, since Halfborns were harder to catch on a compass. They could usually run and go unseen, but if they saw Tubbo, if they knew who he was…

Well, they couldn't live to tell anyone else, could they? No one could know about the Ender Halfborn.

He pulled the covers up, settling down and relaxing. He left enough room for the boy if he wanted in, but he didn't wait up. He's pretty sure Wilbur slipped him some kind of sleeping potion, based on how drowsy he was. His heavy eyelids closed, and he fell into a deep sleep.

That didn't mean he didn't hear the door open a few hours later, and didn't feel someone else shuffle up next to him. He smiled, only half asleep due to the intrusion, and went completely under again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah chill chapter but I feel like I should give a warning- this story is going to have a decent amount of violence- I don't think it's graphic enough for an actual warning tag but I did tag it myself so beware. Also angst. Lots of angst- I think this is mostly stress writing if I'm honest. I blame the US elections.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think you guys deserve to know that when you comment an idea for the story or say something you want to see or your predictions I'm reading them and changing the story so that it better lines up with what you want (because honestly I want the same thing) and I thought you should know that because this is theft and I shouldn't get away with it. That is all, enjoy.  
> 2k words.

_ Most Dangerous Borns List _

_ Ranked by the Royal Born Researcher _

_ 1\. Enderborn (Due to Feral Tendencies) _

_ 2\. Witherborn (Wither effect and bloodlust) _

_ 3\. Dragonborns (Includes Wyvernborns) _

_ 4\. Guardianborn (Known to drown humans) _

_ 5\. Blazeborn (Dangerous fire summoning and prone to arson) _

_ 6\. Demonborn (Demon magic dangerous to humans) _

_ 7\. Sirenborn (Lust for human flesh and hypnotic voice) _

_ 8\. Creeperborn (Can explode without dying, causing multiple explosions) _

_ 9\. Piglinborn (Will kill for anything shiny, bloodlust similar to Witherborn) _

_ 10\. Ghoulborn (Feeds solely on human flesh) _

\-----------

When he woke up the room was still dark, but little slivers of light shown from areas not covered by curtains. One strip of light went right over Tubbo's face, and his nose was scrunched up in sleep, as if subconsciously annoyed. His eyelids were blue, like his eyes were glowing underneath them. Which meant-

There was a quiet sound and the boy teleports a foot over, landing right next to him, face turned towards him to hide from the light. Dream laughed, coughing as he tries to muffle the sound. He doesn't want to wake him up.

He is a little jealous that the Halfborn is a better teleporter than him, though. Ender Halfborns shouldn't even be  _ able _ to teleport, it wasn't fair!

He looked around to find out what woke him up, eyes locking with the door. It jiggled and opened, revealing Wilbur on the other side. The man looked completely human again, with brown eyes, blunt teeth, and no scales in sight. "Sorry to wake you." He whispered, seeing that Tubbo was still out. "But the hunters arrived. They're in the town."

Of course.

He sighed. He knew they'd probably come in. Wilbur couldn't say no, since Sapnap was a born. He shifted, focusing on Wilbur and staring at the spot next to him until his chest grew cold and he was suddenly there.

Wilbur jumped, surprised, and he grinned. He wasn't good with teleporting -could normally only do it when startled- and it made his entire body mind-numbingly  _ cold. _ His next breath was seeable, and his chest felt like the dead of space. It didn't hurt, but after feeling the warmth of the blankets it left him feeling empty. "Nice jump."

"Thank you." They closed the door behind them, leaving Tubbo asleep. It was already afternoon, close to evening, and Dream understood why he slept for so long but Tubbo? How late did he stay up? "Why's Tubbo so tired?"

Wilbur shrugged. "Dunno, puberty? Thought it might be an Ender thing. He usually sleeps in, but he did stay up late last night. There’s an election tomorrow, and he’s been helping me campaign."

Dream nodded, making a mental note to check through his limited knowledge on Ender beings and finding out if sleeping in was normal. Endermen were nocturnal, so it was a possibility. "And the hunters?"

"They're being civil." Wilbur replied. "Better than any other you've brought here. I actually felt comfortable letting them in. We have a mini festival set up for tonight- a perfect time for you to slip out, if you're so inclined."

He didn't want to. Of course he didn't. He'd rather stay here with Tubbo, where it's safe for both of them. But staying here meant bringing hunters here, and having hunters here when Tubbo's so prone to teleporting around was dangerous. He couldn't risk that. "I probably will, thanks."

Wilbur looked like he expected that. Dream winced. "I packed you a new bag." He said instead, picking up a bag sitting out downstairs. "Everything you requested, but fair warning- Tommy put something in there, and I don't know what."

For a second, Dream wanted to ask for an axe. L'Manburg was a thriving little country, but it lacked a lot of resources found underground because those weren't renewable. A lot of them went into their fight for independence, and now ore and the likes was a rare commodity. He couldn't ask them to spare some when he could nick some iron from someone who has plenty and make one himself.

Hey, maybe he'll come across a rich jackass and get himself a diamond axe instead. 

They made their way outside, Wilbur following Dream just so that when they see the hunters he doesn't face them alone. He appreciates it, because having a Siren Halfborn on your side was always helpful, in the long run.

"Yo!" He turned, seeing Sapnap run towards him, George a bit behind. He tensed at first, but the born looked so happy and excited, as if he forgot he was here to hunt someone. "This is so cool! I always wanted to visit L'Manburg! And you know Wilbur? The  _ president? _ Awesome!"

He froze, shocked, before remembering that Sapnap was a Blazeborn and one of their traits is their childlike personalities. He certainly had the wonder and awe down pat. "You should stay, if you like it so much."

"The king would come after me." Sapnap waved it away, and Dream locked eyes with Wilbur.  _ What did that mean? _ "I heard there was a festival happening. Can we chill, since there's no hunting in here and all?" For a second, he looked sheepish. "You're really cold..."

_ So he did feel it too. _

That's when George finally caught up. "Dream." He nodded at the man, much more formal. "Sorry about the shoulder."

"I've had worse." It felt weird, talking to people who were hunting him like they were casual acquaintances. "You could stop hunting me as an apology."

They both looked down, and what were they hiding? "Not possible, sorry." George said bluntly. "I'll warn you though. There was at least one other group grabbing an Enderborn compass when Sapnap and I left. They're probably on their way."

Just more reasons for him to leave. He could probably make the other hunters give up hope, but these guys? "Why are you telling him this?" Wilbur asked suspicious.

"Because we need the bounty." George said, before turning on his heel. "It was nice talking to you. Come on, Sap." 

The two walked away. "Didn't sound nice." Dream muttered, and Sapnap may have heard him since the hunter giggled.

"They seem pretty nice, actually." A Foxborn, Fundy, said. "I wouldn't have thought they were hunters if m’love wasn't here."

Said man set down a barrel of alcohol from the cellar downstairs, ignoring the ‘m’love’ comment (an old inside joke Fundy had never gotten over). It was getting dark, and the festival was about to start. Dream was just helping Niki, a human, get the final stuff set up. So was Fundy, Tubbo, and Eret, a Ghast Halfborn.

"Sapnap's a lot like that new Blaze Halfborn who joined our country." Eret said, helping Niki finish the cakes. "Hey Dream, is he really warm enough to make you feel it?"

Dream froze, muscles tensing. He forced them to relax- it was just a question. "Yeah, but the last time I was close enough to him to feel it they were trying to shove chains on my wrists, so I'd rather not feel it again."

His chest still felt like ice from forcing a teleport earlier.

They went quiet, and Dream didn't know if it was because they felt bad, or if it was because they could hear the sorrow lacing his voice.

The night was dark and fireworks blew up in the sky, creating loud bursts of noise drowning out the chatter underneath. Dream walked around, a bottle of alcohol held in his hand. He hadn't drunken any, but he was walking around like he did. Better to let the hunters think he wouldn't be leaving tonight.

Speaking of, the two sat at a table outside, drinking heavily and laughing heartily. He turned to leave, before stopping. Something about the cheerful looks on their faces made him pause.

He sighed, already disappointed in himself, before walking over. "Look at you two." He made sure to slur his words slightly. "Drunk off your asses."

Goggles boy George pouted. "You're not much better." He murmured.

"Cold!" Sapnap didn't seem to care, scooting over until he was deep in Dream's personal space, opening his arms to envelope the taller man. Instantly, Sap’s ( _ Sap’s?! _ ) hot skin warmed and almost soothed his own chilled skin. He had been extra cold ever since teleporting earlier, but it was finally going away. He won't pretend like he didn't relax into his hold. 

George, though, didn't seem as content with what was happening. Dream shouldn't be-  _ wasn't  _ happy either, this was a  _ hunter, _ someone trying to hunt him, and he was letting the man (boy? How old was he-) lay all over him like he was Tubbo. Yes, he may really appreciate the warmth, but… but…

_ It was so warm… _

He pretended like it wasn’t even happening, turning to Geroge and cracking a joke like they were lifelong friends. He doesn’t know if it was the alcohol that made the hunter laugh or not, and their past encounters seemed to dissipate for a few minutes as they made jokes and talked and laughed like old friends. Wilbur was singing a song about friendship in the background, which might also be affecting the human. It didn’t matter much, Dream would enjoy the calm for however long as it lasted.

He forgot how much he liked talking- how much he liked being social. He had slowly turned into a loner throughout the years, and yeah he had the people of L’Manburg, but talking with George was different. Tomorrow he’ll be running for his life and the hunter will be chasing him again, but tonight they could pretend to be friends.

In another life, he knew they would be.

_ Forget your regrets for tonight- have a drink for tonight- drown your sorrows for tonight- make a friend for tonight- _

Dream wasn’t normally affected by Wilbur’s singing, unless it was directed at him, but he knew George would be feeling it. It was most likely the reason for his friendly mood, and he secretly wishes he didn’t learn about this side of the man, because now it’d be much harder to hate him.

Then Sapnap spoke up, breaking the spell.

"I wanna stay here." Sapnap seemed to regress farther into childhood the more he drank, or at least farther into cuddles. "It's nice here. Screw the king."

"The king will screw us if we don't do what he wants." George snapped, crossing his arms, instantly irritable again. Dream leaned forward in interest. "You really want to be a noble's pet again? They brought up the death penalty, Sap."

Sapnap made a noise and buried his face into Dream's hoodie, right over his frozen chest, and he almost sighed as it started to thaw. "You guys are hunters by force?"

"Mmhm." Sapnap murmured. "King said if we got you we'd get 500k gold, I'd be freed and George wouldn't be a servant no more."

And that made it ten times harder to hate them. Of course a born wouldn't willingly become a hunter. Of course they were striking a deal by doing this. It was basically one life for two, and if he wasn't that one life he'd be okay with it as well.

His chest thawed, and his entire body warmed with it. He felt like he was swimming in lava. The feelings made him drowsy in a warm  _ bliss. _

"It doesn't matter anyway." George cut in. "We're hunters, and Enderborn are on the top of the hunting list."

"The Decree changed that." Dream frowned.

"No." George shook his head. "Bounties couldn't be placed on Enderborn anymore, but that didn't mean the king didn't pay extra for Enderborn pearls. It's harsh, but Enderborns are dangerous anyway."

Fighting with a drunk man was stupid, but his words set off a fire in his chest and somehow he felt warmer from that, too. He wanted to keep it. "I've never hurt anyone that didn't attack me first." He spat. "I can't say the same for you."

George flinched, eyes going stony. "You say you're safe." He growled. "But all it takes is one nut job removing your mask and then suddenly you're slaughtering an entire village."

Dream slammed his drink on the table, startling Sapnap, who had started to fall asleep. "I'm turning in for the night." He grounded out, ignoring Sapnap's little mewl of protest when he got up. "Enjoy the rest of the festival,  _ hunters." _

He was gone by morning.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slight gore warning? I dunno nothing bothers me anymore.  
> 3k words.

Dream smashes the goblin’s head against a rock, clawed hand sinking into the back of its neck. It turned into dust as it died, and Dream rolled out of the way as another charged towards him. He didn’t notice the one that rolled up behind him, tackling his feet and pushing him over.

He yelped, falling on his supply bag to keep the goblins from stealing anything. There was a sharp, icy stab in his chest, and suddenly he was a few feet away, standing up. The goblins all yelled in fright, now more scared then hungry for his supplies.

He almost slapped himself. Dream had forgotten- most creatures are terrified of Enders. He opened his mouth and spoke in the Ender language. **_“Leave me alone!”_ **

The goblins all cried out, as if expecting him to grow extra arms and attack at any point. They all scattered, and Dream placed a hand on his chest, rubbing it to warm it up. His pearl never got super cold when he accidently teleports, since it’s sudden and he doesn’t have to build up force so that he can aim his teleport. His chest started warming up to its normal freezing temperature, and he checked the ground, making sure he didn’t drop anything. The only thing that fell was the book Tommy had put in there that proclaimed that he was the 'alpha male' and everyone had to bow down to him. He was tempted to leave it, but put it away anyway.

Suddenly, he heard voices coming near. They were familiar.

Dream shot up, jumping into a tree and scrambling up into the canopy. He held his breath and tensed, willing the tree leaves to still and hide him.

"Stop talking so loud." He heard George grumble. "My head is _killing_ me."

Sapnap chuckled. "Poor little human George, getting a hangover. We could've stayed longer, you know."

"Then he'd just get farther away- _ugh."_ George paused, gagging. He leaned against the tree _Dream was in,_ taking a breath. "We gotta, egh, catch him."

"Do we?" Sapnap asked tentatively, and was Dream hearing him right? "I mean, _yeah we do,_ but do we gotta, like, _do it now?_ Can we wait a bit? George-" Sapnap sounded conflicted. "-I know you wouldn't understand but he's- he's _cold_ George, cold as ice and…" he trailed off, lost for words and looking frustrated with himself.

George gave him a sympathetic look, hand going out to pat his shoulder. Sapnap jerked away, and George winced. "Sorry, forgot."

Sapnap sat down, bringing his legs up to this chest, and Dream felt a pang of sorrow. Blazeborns burn hot, hotter than humans can handle. They'd get burned.

Which means no human can touch him. He was deprived of physical contact. Dream understood the pain, since humans felt the same for him, but with coldness instead. George paused for a second, before placing his hand in Sapnap's hair. He grimaced, as if uncomfortable, but Sapnap leaned into it and George kept his hand there. 

"It wasn't that long, but at the festival I- I felt _normal._ I felt _human._ I've never felt that way before, and I _miss it."_ He looked up at George, eyes scared. "If, when, we turn him in, that'll be _gone, forever._ He's the last Enderborn, unless I find another freezing born, _I'll never feel that way again."_

George was obviously at a loss for words, and Dream was too. He didn't know before if the Blazeborn felt it as much as him, but now it was obvious he did. "I-Im sorry Sap, but if we don't…"

"I know." The born snapped, upset. "But I just can't stop thinking… he probably feels the same way. He's the last of his kind, been getting hunted for years now, and has probably been _beyond cold_ for his entire life. It's just… it's _not_ fair."

"It's not." George agreed, taking away his hand. He glanced at it, and Dream could see how red it was, from the heat. "I wish it didn't have to be this way, either, but I also made you a promise, and _I'm keeping that promise."_

"He doesn't deserve this." He sounded like he was on the verge of breaking down, and Dream wanted to comfort him, hug him, _something._ "We don't deserve this."

George bit his lip, before shifting over and giving him a quick hug. While Sapnap couldn't see his face, Dream could tell that it hurt. He gained respect for the human hunter.

"Come on." George let go, helping him up. "Let's keep going. We got a lot of ground to make up."

The two walked away, and Dream waited a few minutes before running the opposite way.

He ran for three hours straight. It was a perk of being an Enderborn- long endurance. After a while he paused, letting out a short breath and walking over to a tree, sliding down it. He took out a wrapped piece of meat and started eating, ignoring the sore feeling starting up in his limbs. He still had his claws out, even after how long it's been. His fingertips hurt as his claws disappeared- he hated taking them out and using them, but he didn’t have any other weapons at the moment. Still, using the claws felt dirty, somehow. It was a natural part of him, but whenever he looks at them all he can see is his sister tearing that hunter to shreds with her claws and teeth. He shuddered, biting off a piece of meat and chewing.

He wishes George and Sapnap stayed in L'Manburg and out of the king's range. He doesn't know how many strings Wilbur can pull to free Sapnap, but he thinks he could be friends with the hunters if they weren't, you know, _trying to hunt him._

What was he doing here, anyway? Really. He goes from place to place with no real idea in mind, unless he’s going back to L’Manburg. It’s been like that ever since he left his family. What is he doing? Does he even have a plan?

He did. It was to simply survive.

He was doing that, more or less. Staying away from danger, keeping ahead of hunters. He’d probably have an easier life as a noble's pet, but he wouldn’t be able to handle being cooped up, and he knows most nobles treat borns worse than they treat regular dogs and other pets. Dream has a theory that either it’s because they’re repulsed by something different then them, or that they’re actually jealous that they don’t have the same powers.

So he was trying to survive and stay free. That much was obvious, he knew that, but what else? He’s been running for years- he was running with Tubbo, running after Tubbo left, he’s still running now. Sure, the hunters he’s running from are strangely nice, but they’d still cart him off to the king or a noble. He’d be stuck there until he was either let go or they got tired of him and killed him.

Maybe one of the other kingdoms would step in. L’Manburg might have something to say about it, or that endangered species organization that had sprung up over the years. They got real testy when the kingdom ‘killed off’ the last of the Witherborn, they definitely wouldn’t allow the king to keep the ‘last’ Enderborn in captivity, would they?

They might, if the king says he’s in good care, because the organization treats borns like animals too. The only difference is they think of borns like domesticated animals instead of like feral problems. Their problem is the ethical part of it, not the moral question. He’s pretty sure there’s a zoo or two that houses borns, and they’re A-Okay with them, so they were basically a no go.

He really didn’t know. What else was there to do besides survive? That’s what _everyone_ is doing, really. Yeah, he’ll have fun every now and then- go swimming in L’Manburg or duel Wilbur and Tommy’s other brother. Sometimes, when he’s feeling cocky, he’ll venture to the capitol and go parkouring on top of the buildings. Besides that, though, what’s his next goal? His plan for the future? 

Settling down was a no go, unless the bounty was taken down and those compasses destroyed. The compass problem wouldn’t be too hard- they can be broken, he thinks, and only one person in a group of hunters has them, since they’re hard to make. Getting rid of the bounty, though, is impossible unless he either gets rid of the king or gets the other kingdoms to intervene.

That’s not happening.

He grimaces, finishing his food. The sky turned dark. It's times like these where he wonders if he should’ve gone with his family to the end. He wonders if he would go now if he had the option. There had to be an Enderman strong enough to teleport him over, right? The thing is, he’d never be able to come back. He’d be with his family, but he’d never see his friends again. L’Manburg would be all but a memory.

He couldn’t do it. He couldn’t leave Tubbo. The kid would forgive him, but he’d never forget and Dream couldn’t do that to him. The portal was sealed anyway and he doubts any Endermen would risk it, so why bother thinking of that possibility. It was just hoping for the impossible.

Was his only option to keep running? There had to be something else. If he gets rid of all the compasses, it’d be harder to track him, at least. He’d have more free time- he could have a place of his own and not worry about it being found. He could venture wherever he wants and not have to stress as much. A hunter wouldn’t hunt without a compass, unless they were a master tracker. He'd be almost free.

His mind wandered back to a book he had read when he was younger. Tubbo had brought it to him one day and demanded he read it to them, front to back. He read it to them over 20 times, and after a while he taught Tubbo how to read using it. The protagonist was an anti-hero named Robin Hood, and he’d take from the rich and give to the poor. Well, at least, the child book version did. He found an adult version of the book and read it one day, and he likes the child version much better.

He could do that, if he got rid of the compasses, couldn’t he? Steal from the nobles, free any borns they kept and give their riches to the poor dying in the capitol’s streets. He wouldn’t be Dream, the hunted, but Dream, the heroic outlaw, who gives bread and gold to the poor. The idea was more appealing than he thought it would be.

In his thinking daze, something big and rough fell on him, like a blanket. Almost immediately he felt sluggish, and when he tried to pull the thing off he realized he could barely make it budge.

It was a net.

_A net?!_

He shot up, but the weighted ends kept him from moving much. The net was enchanted, he could tell, since it felt like he could barely lift his hands. It was suppressing his powers- _how did he let someone sneak up on him?!_

“That wasn’t so hard.” A foot came into his field of view, and he recoiled. That voice- it wasn’t George or Sapnap. 

_These were different hunters._

His heart started beating faster, and he looked up. Three hunters in total, two women and a man, all armed. He never more wished for his pearl to accidentally teleport him.

It didn’t happen.

_He was trapped._

He started to panic as they got closer, taking the only knife he had (a pocket knife, wasn’t good for anything besides cutting) and shoved it at one of the net’s lines. He couldn’t get far, though, as a foot caught his hand and pinned it to the ground, crushing it. He cried out in pain, dropping the knife and yanking his hand back, holding it to his chest. It was going to swell, no doubt. He had a healing potion, in case something broke. He clenched his fingers, hissing at the pain.

“I expected more.” The male said, giving him the side eye. Dream glared, baring his teeth. His heart was pounding in his chest, and he was a minute away from full blown panic. _He was trapped._ While he was busy daydreaming for the future he managed to destroy his chance to get it! “It didn’t even put up a fight.”

It? Of course he got those types of hunters. They were the hardest to try and bargain with, or talk to. He needed time to get out, time to escape, he needed _time-_

The net was heavy, pushing him farther into the ground. He felt so weak, how’d he let them just walk up and catch him?! The Enderborn blinked, tears pricking the ends of his eyes. No, now was _not the time._ He tried to say something, but it came out as a dry rasp. His breathing became more and more rapid, terror filling his lungs. Come on, he was failing and that couldn’t happen right now!

Anything remotely human about him drained away as his mind started to work purely on instinct. Any reasoning was replaced with _fear_ and _oh no_ he couldn’t think straight. Was it the net? Was it doing this?!

His bit back a sound of defeat. Why couldn’t he think straight? Why couldn’t he figure a way out? Why did he let this happen?!

"Look at him." One girl, the brunette, purred, and Dream shifted back, enchantments making him sluggish and weak and he _hated it._ "He doesn't look beastly at all. A bet he's cute, under the mask."

"Don't take it off." The other female, a blond, snapped, looking annoyed with the whole process. "It'll attack us if you do."

The brunette scoffed. "He's as strong as a baby chick right now, come off it." She moved forward, and Dream jumped back into the tree, wincing as the net gave him rope burn. The thing was big enough to stick your hands through, but there was nothing he could do with that. He was trapped by _different hunters_ and he couldn't try bargaining with them. It was obvious they didn't think of him as human. To them, he was a monster.

When the girl reached for his mask again he shrank back. "Please don't."

She didn't realize it was for her sake more than his, because if they locked eyes, this net would do _very little_ to stop him. He also didn't like the way she looked at him.

"Look." The blonde muttered, kicking his leg with her boot. "It does talk."

"His tone gives me shivers." The brunette ignored him, and the next time she reached forward he pushed her hands away, ignoring the pain it caused in his lame one. She frowned, going forward again, but when Dream did the same thing she grabbed his wrists and pushed him back. His hand flared in agony. He struggled, but it was slow and sluggish and he felt like he was too weak to even _stand_ if he had to. His back hit a tree and he started to thrash, now completely in panic mode. A primal _fear_ settled in his chest, a need to _survive._ _He shouldn't be this scared._ "Calm down, geez, it's just a mask-"

"No!" He yanked his head away when her fingers brushed against the edge of his mask, her warm skin touching his icy flesh. He liked warmth, it was the human feeling of it, but he _didn't want it-_ "Stop! _Please."_

In the forest, purple eyes started to appear from the dark, watching in avid interest. The male hunter shifted. "Maybe you should-"

"It's not going to hurt him." The brunette snapped, shifting so she held his wrists in one firm hand, leaving the other open to mess with his mask. He whined, hand pulsing in stabbing pain. "Look at how weak he is!"

The eyes in the woods got closer. A whisper started up in the breeze- a low murmur of concern and anger and the hunters could hear it too. They all paused. The whispers got louder.

_-young one-_

_-danger-_

_-help?-_

_-our child-_

Dream snapped his head over to the treeline, where the bulk of the eyes were. Before the hunters could stop him, he opened his mouth and shouted as loud as he could. **_"Please help me!"_ **

For a second, it was quiet. The hunters looked at him in confusion, the language that he had just spoken foreign to their ears.

Then the woods around them exploded into life and hundreds of Endermen ran out, jaws unhinged and whispers turning into loud snarls.

There are differences between Endermen and Enderborn. Endermen can live forever, if they aren't killed, and they don't reproduce like humans. Instead, they create copies of themselves that then turn into different creatures. That meant that all Endermen were over thousands of years old. Enderborn, on the other hand, are much more human- they reproduce and can die of old age. They are still considered Endermen, though, so normal Endermen consider them as younglings, or children, and make it their job to protect them.

Like right now.

The hunters were thrown away from him, and human screams cut through the night as the Endermen started biting and clawing and stomping. Dream watched in horror as the blond hunter's head was caved in by a stone block one of the creatures was holding. The brunette screamed as her arm was torn out of its socket. The blood splattered on his mask as one of her legs was torn off, followed by another Enderman clawing her throat and the last biting into her torso, almost cutting her clean in half. The male hunter was able to punch one in the face before another Enderman grabbed his head and tore it clean off his body.

It was over in less than a minute.

The Endermen all turned to him.

Something akin to a whimper left his throat, and he doesn't know if it was because of the gore he just witnessed, or if he was still afraid of the brunette taking off his mask. He moved slowly, taking his hands off the tree behind him to instead curl in on himself. A different type of pain ran through him.

The hunters' blood squelched under the Endermen's feet as they moved towards him. One picked him up, moving so carefully and gently that he felt like a baby again. The net surrounding him was taken off, and he gasped as his strength flowed back into him. The Enderman holding him murmured, whispering a soothing lullaby in the Ender language that Dream's pretty sure his mother used to sing to him when he had nightmares and couldn't sleep. He let out a choked sob, still in shock.

The Endermen started blinking away, teleporting before his eyes until only a dozen or so were left. They surrounded the one holding Dream, and as a group they left the little clearing.

The other hunters, Sapnap and George, they'll come across this carnage. They'll find this and think it was Dream. Was it him? He did ask for help, and he knows Endermen are very protective of Enderborn- even more so since humans killed most of them. _He_ was the reason they died.

He looked behind him once, locked eyes with the dead brunette, and never looked back. The Enderman holding him didn't hiss or complain when tears dropped onto their arms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3  
> If I plan to update this story, it'll be on a Monday, Wednesday, or Saturday, so keep watch on those days.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3 all the comments, I appreciate them <3  
> Also remember this is an AU basically so all that canon Pogtopia Manburg L'Manburg stuff yeah throw most of it into the trash we don't do that here.  
> 2.5k words

Endermen travelled in groups when in the overworld, sticking close together. They were nomads, in a way, setting up camp in several places and moving in between them to avoid the rain. They soon became very skilled in building camps to look like abandoned human houses, so that humans wouldn’t get suspicious. The only thing that gave them away was that the doors would always be three blocks high.

Dream stayed with this traveling group of Endermen for a day or so. It was nice, being surrounded by Ender magic, hearing songs he hasn't heard since he was young sung in the Ender language. They even helped him start a fire, since they knew Enderborns crave the heat they could never have.

He sat in front of the fire now, his hoodie, sweater, and gloves back with his other stuff. One of the Endermen handed him a wooly sleeveless shirt when he first got there and demanded he change so they could assess how hurt he was. They even got it in a dark green, like they knew him. They're intuitive, like that.

Endermen aren't the best healers, though. He changed for their sake and let them crowd around as he assessed the damage. The markings along his arms glowed dully like pearls in the night light, contrasting the Endermen's bright purple eyes.

There were no humans nearby. He could take his mask off if he wanted to. He didn't.

There wasn't much he could do besides take a gulp of his health potion and go clean off his hoodie, which was covered in hunter blood. He was covered in it as well, and he washed it off down at the river too, flinching every few moments whenever he thought the water was going to bite back.

That was how he ended up in front of the fireplace, trying to dry off. The fire crackled as it danced in the soft breeze- twisting and lashing out, and Dream was tempted to touch it, to feel true warmth. Not something warm like _ that hunter, _ but something that  felt warm, something that felt _safe_. An Endermen rubbed his hair as he passed, and he suppressed a flinch.

He didn't feel safe.

Rationally, he knew they would never hurt him. Instinctively, all he could think about was the blood and gore and the empty eyes staring at him, face frozen in eternal agony. He curled up slightly, wrapping one of his blankets tighter around himself.

That could've been him, if his mask was taken off.

Was he scared of them? Or was he scared of himself?

**_"Child, what's wrong?"_ ** A female Enderman came forward, an elder even in a village where everyone was old, twisting it's gangly limbs until she sat next to him. She didn't touch him.  **_"We can smell your fear."_ **

**_"Sorry."_ ** He mumbled, pushing deeper into the rest of the blanket.  **_"You guys saved me, but…"_ **

**_"Enderborn have always been afraid of that side of them."_ ** The Enderman explained, voice soothing and not accusing.  **_"It isn't human, and goes against your evolution. We understand that, child, and we don't blame you."_ **

He felt a sharp spike of guilt flood him. He was a mess right now, and the Endermen had other things to deal with that didn't include a pouting 'child'.  **_"I'm sorry."_ **

The Enderman was quiet for a second, before she started to hum, the same tune the other Enderman had said hours earlier.  **_"Do you know what this tune is? What it represents?"_ **

**_"No…"_ ** He winced.  **_"It's been awhile since I last heard it…"_ **

**_"It represents the bond between Ender, specifically the bond between us and you."_ ** The elder explained, and Dream looked up at her. Humans can never get an Enderman's facial expressions right- since they can rarely look and when they can they don't see the fine differences. Dream, who grew up around them, can easily tell when one is smiling like she was.  **_"Endermen vowed to protect Enderborn, just like most creatures vowed to protect their borns. You came from us, our children, nothing you ask of us will ever be to much. We thrive when you thrive, we fall when you fall. We are at peace when you are safe."_ **

Dream… he didn't know what to say to that.  **_"Why didn't you go back with the other Enderborns to the end?"_ ** He asked, before getting a terrible thought.  **_"It wasn't to protect the Enderborns who stayed, right?"_ **

She didn't answer for a moment, and something ugly curled up in his stomach before she finally spoke.  **_"We are wanderers, us Enders. We always have been. The end is vast, but not limitless. We live long lives, we wander for most of them. We did not stay for you, but as long as you and the Halfborn stay in this world, we will always try and protect you."_ **

_ Protect him. _

_ Blood and gore all over him, dripping down his body as terrified eyes looked at him like he was the one who killed them- _

He shivered, leaning into the elder. She was cold, colder than him, but the feeling of connection between his kind and hers made it ignorable. He just needed something to lean on.

The Endermen completely destroy the hunters. Would they do the same to Sapnap and George? They'd be dead and off his trail. It'd be a painful death, too. Did he want that?

No, he didn't.

**_"I can protect myself."_ ** Dream murmured, and the elder laughed, the soft humming whisper of her voice distorting slightly.  **_"I did for a long time."_ **

**_"Sometimes, to protect something, you have to let it grow on its own."_ **

They asked him, as they packed up and started teleporting away, if he wanted to come with them.

He declined.

And as the last one, the female elder, teleported away, a single drop of water hits his nose.

He doesn't remember when he took his mask off.

He walks through the woods to hide from the rain, mask back on as well as his sweater, hoodie, and gloves. While he had slept in the Endermen village, he was still severely tired, almost to the point of being cranky.

There's a single dark oak tree in the middle of the oak forest, and after making sure it wasn't an Ent he climbs up the branches, settling on a high but thick one branch and leaning against the trunk of the tree. His legs dangled in the air below him.

When he looked down, the gaping jaws of Endermen look up at him. He shivered, glaring at nothing and looking away. Reaching into his bag, he pulls out the thickest blanket he has, wrapping it around himself to hopefully protect him from the rain. Settling back against the tree, he closed his eyes, hoping for at least a few hours of sleep.

The hunters are after him again. They unintentionally gave him a day of rest before they caught on to his trail and snuck up under the tree he was sleeping on.

A hand grabbed his foot and yanked.

As he fell, the pearl inside him grew cold, and he teleported away.

He landed a few feet away, shuddering at the icy tendrils stretching out from his heart. He scrambled up but there's a sword pressed to his neck faster then he can move out of the way. He freezes, knowing this was coming. "Hi guys."

George's face was one stoic in anger. "You kill them." He whispered.  _ "You slaughtered them." _

He already knew who he was talking about. He had a feeling that was why it took them so long to find him- they were burying the bodies. Sapnap stood behind him, face set in cracked stone, and Dream could see how he actually felt through his eyes. "I didn't."

George laughed, something harsh and bitter. "I've  _ seen _ what your kind can do, Dream! That's a textbook Enderborn slaughter back there!"

"Who else would've done it, anyway?" Sapnap stepped in, angry but curious, and Dream pounced on that. He couldn't make George believe him, but if he got Sapnap on his side…

Did it matter? They'd still send him to the capitol. To the king. But at least then they wouldn't think of him as a monster. Why'd he care so much? "It was Endermen." He explained. "They had trapped me, one was trying to take off my mask. I asked for help and they-" his mouth went dry and suddenly the sword on his throat wasn't the only reason he couldn't speak.

_ Blood.  _ **_Everywhere._ **

“Mobs are really protective of their borns, George.” Sapnap said quietly, and why was he so happy that he believed him? It didn’t matter, really. “Remember that zombie outbreak? At the castle?”

Dream heard of that incident awhile ago. The old king was trying to publicly execute a Zombieborn. Right before the ceremony a hoard of zombies approached the city, _ running. _ Zombies didn’t run, so it scared people. The king went on with the execution, and the zombies were too late to save the born.

So they started a massacre.

The king died that day, and his son took his place. Shortly after that, Decree 111 was signed and hunting borns became much harder to do. Borns everywhere thought life would be easier, now that the bounties were gone, but that didn’t stop normal people from hurting them.

"It doesn't matter." George didn't look convinced, but he didn't look as upset as before. He pushed the sword farther into Dream's throat. "You're still our bounty. Sap, get the chains."

Sapnap pulled out thick prismarine chains covered in enchantments and suddenly Dream wasn't there anymore. He wasn't looking at the two hunters, but instead there were three and he was under a net and the girl had pinned him to a tree trying to take off his mask  _ no no nonono _ **_no-!_ **

"No!" He screeched, falling backwards, uncaring of the sword that was just to his throat. His instincts kicked in and his chest grew cold, very cold, and suddenly he was 50 blocks away in another tree.

_ That's… that's a far teleport. _

He scrambled down the tree, wincing as the frigid feeling in his chest didn't fade. He could hear the hunters shouting, running his way,  _ he needed to go. _

Running in the opposite direction, he weaved through the trees, jumping over rocks and sticks and trying to stay quiet. He couldn’t tell if it was working, though, since his heart was pounding in his ears and he couldn’t hear much over it.

For a second, he wanted to call out to any Endermen that might be nearby. He trashed the thought almost immediately.

The woods disappeared ahead of him, and he emerged at a drop-off, a sheer cliff that went down for around 10-20 feet before flattening out. Past the cliff was more trees and woods, more places to hide.

The cliff was too deep, though. He’d hurt something jumping down that. His eyes locked onto an open path down the cliff, and he stared at it, hoping that his pearl would  _ work with him here _ and teleport him down. Unfortunately, the pearl seemed to be on some type of cooldown, after teleporting him twice in the same few minutes. He patted his chest, recoiling from the bitter cold it emitted.

He’d have to go around or go back the way he came.

“There!” He spun around, and Sapnap appeared from the woods. “Cold’s trapped!”

Cold? Was that a nickname or something? George came running after him, panting, because he was human and it was hard to keep up with borns.  He was holding the enchanted chains.  _ Like the net. _ Dream’s mind went blank and fear sank deep into his bones. He shouted, _screamed._ **_“Leave me alone!”_ **

He wasn’t thinking straight as he turned around and jumped off the cliff. The rational part of his mind screamed at him as he fell, and the emotional part just wanted to  _ get away. _ He hit the ground hard and rolled. His ankle flared up in pain and he stumbled, turning around to see if they followed.

They hadn’t of course. They were shouting about ladders, watching him as he pulled himself to his feet. One of them might've asked if he was okay. He tested his burning ankle, and it convulsed in pain. He could put weight on it, though, so it wasn’t broken. The hunters were on the move, looking for a safer way down, and Dream didn’t have time to drink a potion. He turned and started limping away, diving into the cover of the trees and waiting until he couldn’t see them before making a sharp left and running.

He doesn’t stop. 

He doesn’t stop running until the sun starts to set. He doesn’t stop running until his ankle fails him and he staggers, falling to the ground. Even then he tried to crawl along the ground, trying to put more distance between them. The potion in his bag is long forgotten, his mind filled with that crushing net and hands grabbing for his mask. He blinks, and suddenly there’s a head in front of him. The blonde hunter, staring at him with dead eyes.  _ You did this. _

He tried to jerk back, but he was beyond exhausted, and he fell asleep looking into those dull eyes.

He woke up warm, which wasn’t a normal occurrence. He was very warm, actually, warm enough that his chest had thawed. The multiple blankets he had in his bag were covering his body, and was he on a bed? He sat up, confused. He was in a bedroom. What?

He shifted, surprised when he didn’t feel any pain. His ankle hissed when he touched it, but even that pain was only a dull ache. Someone had healed him. Someone healed him and brought him here. Who?

The door opened and Dream jumped back, surprised. “Oh, you’re awake!”

The person at the door wasn’t human, that was easy to see. His body wasn’t solid- instead it was made up of wispy black smoke. He could see it’s eyes, blinding white in comparison, and when it spoke he could make out the outline of a mouth. It’s body semi-followed the rules of a human form, and if he looked closely he thinks he could see wispy hair and horns under the hoodie he was wearing. His clothes were normal, but on a body like that it was strange.

He recognized this type of creature. It was a Halfborn, and while he’s never seen one before he’s seen pictures. They were the only Halfborns that couldn’t pass as humans, even though the regular born could.

A Demon Halfborn.

He relaxed slightly, more comfortable around borns than humans. Well, that was before Sapnap and George, but they were an exception, weren’t they? “Who are you?” He asked. “Who brought me here?”

“I did, you muffin.” He blinked at the strange insult. The Halfborn laughed. “It looked like you needed help. I’m Bad.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey lookaddat its'a Bad! Also ya'll should no that there is literally NO filler in this book whatsoever- each chapter something goes down or something turns to shit, they get no break and I'm not sorry. If at the beginning it seems chill and in the middle it seems chill then boy oh boy the ending is the exact opposite and there's probably a cliffhanger <3


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ngl this chapter was two times longer but I split it in half just to have a cliffhanger. Dunno why, I just felt like it <3  
> Also end note is important!  
> 1k words.

Bad is a strange character, to say the least. Demonborns are high on the dangerous borns list since they can perform black magic. Demons are also known for praying on the innocent, and humans don't know if borns carry that trait as well.

Bad, on the other hand, doesn’t look like he could hurt a fly. He loves to bake and garden and play with his cat that he  _ swears  _ is a Catborn that was cursed by a witch. Dream could believe it, Ant was the strangest cat he’s ever met. The two make a bizarre pair.

Bad had admitted to using magic on him to heal his ankle, which confused Dream to no end, because wasn’t black magic necromancy and things like that? It seemed to be the opposite of healing. When he asked, Bad just laughed and winked, and Dream found himself really liking the man.

Demonborns live hot as well.

Bad was a curious man, too. He had never seen an Enderborn before, and they spent a whole hour talking to each other in Ender and Demon. The two languages were close enough that Dream could understand every other word Bad said and then figure it out with context. It was fun, surprisingly.

He knew he couldn’t stay long.

“Are you worried about the bounty?” Bad asked when he said he should leave soon. Ant hopped onto his shoulder, and his hand instinctively went up to pet him before remembering the dirty look the cat gave him last time he tried to. “We’re pretty far away from any towns, you should be safe for a little while longer.”

Bad sat next to him, and he leaned into him, enjoying the dull warmth he emitted. It wasn’t nearly as much as a Blazeborn, but it would do for now. “The longer I stay, the more danger you’ll be in.”

Demonborns were on the Most Dangerous Borns list. When the Genocide Decree was signed, they, like the other top 9, were hit the hardest. While only Ender and Witherborns diminished to the point of near extinction, the rest were endangered as well. Demon horns and blood went for a lot on the black market. He didn’t want to be the reason why Bad was hurt.

“I may have healed your ankle but I couldn’t fully heal it.” Bad responded, draping a blanket around his shoulders, and demons shouldn’t be this caring, even a Demon Halfborn. “I saw that your shoulder was hurt to. Give yourself at least another day of rest, Dream.”

And Dream, snuggled up in blankets, stomach full and basking in warmth he rarely feels, agreed. Ant stared at him, and for some strange reason he felt like he had made the wrong choice.

Time passed slowly. It always did whenever he took a break. He relished in that fact, doing everything he could to make that time worth it. He helped weed the garden, made some muffins for Bad, organized the bookshelves, and even helped give Ant a bath. The cat hissed at him, as if to say he could do it by himself. Dream had laughed.

And then Ant actually did it by himself. Like a human would.

He believed the ‘witch’s curse’ a little bit more after that.

He was reading a book by the fire when Bad came back from collecting mushrooms. He wanted to make stew from a recipe, but he never had anyone to try it with him. The man's face was pinched about something, but it fell off when he saw Dream. “I got it from the stalk of a big mushroom.”

Dream arched a brow, even though Bad couldn’t see. He knew his bushes and mushrooms- he had to, since running out of supplies while days away from a safe town happened often. “A brown or red large mushroom?”

“Brown.” Bad beamed, skipping over to start boiling the pot. “I picked the red ones off the ground.”

“The stalks of large brown mushrooms are bitter, Bad.” Dream laughed when the Halfborn froze. “Did you try it?”

“Yeah…” He said sheepishly. “But I’ve always been told that my taste buds work differently from humans and other borns.”

Oh yeah, he had forgotten. Demonborns have a weird thing with their senses- when they practice dark magic, their senses get better, but the longer they refrain from it the worse their senses get. “Here.” He put his book down and got up. “The core should be bland. It’ll need more seasoning, but it should work.”

They got to work, Bad getting the stew ready while Dream cut out the core of the brown mushrooms Bad had picked. It was repetitive, but for once he was okay with it. It felt domestic, in a way, and the boiling pot next to him was warming him up. He finished the last mushroom, dumping it into the pot. Bad shooed him out of the kitchen moments later.

He just laughed, going back to his book. It was a book written by a Turtleborn, one hundreds if not thousands of years old. It explained how borns came into being, and the history of borns. Dream didn’t know how much was true, but it was fun reading a story written by a born in the first place, so he didn’t care much.

Dinner was called right after he finished the last chapter, and he made his way to the dining room. Bad looked surprised, sprinkling in some kind of herb into his bowl before handing it over. “You came fast. You looked really invested in that book.”

“I finished it.” He explained. “It’s a really cool concept.”

“It is.” Bad nodded. “Pretty accurate, too, besides the beginning part. I summoned a demon awhile back and she told me a different story.”

“Really?” Dream took a sip of the stew. It was surprisingly good. “The author seemed to think that we evolved like this over time.”

“Most people do.” Bad said. “But the demon said that it was actually a ritual that demons and witches performed on those who wanted to look human. That’s why full borns have rune-like markings. I know a noble who lives in the capitol. He did some digging for me and the capitol’s archives actually agree with the demon.”

Dream hummed, feeling sleepy. “How so?”

“Well-” Bad clapped his hands, leaning forward in an excited way. Dream didn’t notice him stare. “-the capitol is actually very old. It’s said to be one of the first civilizations. It has written records older than Endermen! The oldest records explain how suddenly, overnight, new, strange humans with  _ markings  _ flocked to the city. Some even had powers- Dream?”

Dream jerked his head up, lethargic. He was… he was  _ really tired. _ “M’Fine, just… just  _ tired-” _

He slid out of the chair, out before his head even hit the floor.

  
When he wakes everything is moving and he’s warm again. Someone’s holding him, he thinks, but his brain is too mushy to figure out who. They were really warm, hot, even _(_ _ Blazeborn hot _ _)_ , and that was nice. Did it matter? He was warm and sleepy and his eyes were closing again. He barely had enough brainpower to realize  _ he had been drugged _ before he was out again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why is Ant cursed? Dunno, I just thought it'd be funny, it has little to no story relevance.  
> Also, I want your guys' opinions and ideas real quick. Rn, there's a lot of hurt and not much real comfort, and I want this story to fulfill both those needs. So… I need some help. What are some fluffy things you would like to see in this story? Comment them and I'll try to include a few ideas that work in the story plot. I already have most of the story done, but I could add these ideas in other places (with, of course, credit to the person who had the idea). I just thought it'd make both me as the author and you guys as the reader like it more. Thanks!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna skip today and upload this Saturday but I thought 'hey I already split this chapter up that'd be rude' so here you go~  
> 2k words.

The next time he wakes up it’s with a clearer head and an explanation for what happened. The mushroom stew. He had been drugged. _Bad had drugged him._

Something weak within him shattered, and he forced himself to stay calm, to stay relaxed. He instead focused on what was around him- he could feel little blades of grass stab his back, and his hands were tied with rope, not chains. The sound of rushing water and voices invaded his ears. His mask was still on, which meant he could open his eyes without drawing Bad’s attention.

He was laid out right next to a river bank. His bag was right next to him, and he can only guess Bad thought he’d be out for longer, or they were about to give him another dose of sleeping _whatever_ they used. Bad stood a few feet away, arguing with-

Sapnap and George?

_Were they in cahoots?_

He stopped a grimace, because they could see his mouth, and forced himself to stay neutral. The three were arguing, and Dream strained his ears to hear over the water. “-good guy though!” Bad was saying.

“We’re not killing him!” George snapped back. “We’re turning him in and collecting the bounty. He’ll be fine.”

“We all know he won't.” Bad growled, and Dream was surprised to hear it. “He isn’t a criminal, I can’t-”

“It’s either us or him, Bad.” George cut him off. “He’ll be fine, but Sapnap’s a week away from the death penalty and I’ll be stuck working for pompous arseholes for the rest of my life if we don’t do this!” He paused, lowering his voice. “Bad, it’s 500 _thousand_ gold. We can find whoever cursed Ant with that type of money. Hell, we can just get another witch to lift the curse instead.”

“He doesn’t seem bad.” Sapnap finally stepped in, voice soft. “But it is 3 lives versus 1.”

Bad looked torn. He glanced at Dream. “He’s the last of his kind, guys. Can we really do this?”

He wasn’t, but nonenders didn’t know that. No one knew that Enderborns had gone into the end, they just thought Endermen had locked the portal. A few people in L’Manburg knew, but besides that it was a closely guarded secret. He knew a born who was the last of his kind, and he’s relieved that even if it turns out to be true for him, he’ll be ignorant to that knowledge for the rest of his life.

“He’ll be fine.” George sounded like he knew he was lying to himself. “He’ll be safer there than out here.”

Bad sighed, the sound of giving up. “He needs another dose of the sleeping potion.”

Uh oh.

He tensed, mind going into overdrive. He had to leave, _now,_ before he’s put under again. His hands were tied, which would make running hard, not to mention even getting up. A river blocked him in on one side, and the hunters were on the other.

He had nowhere to go.

Well, he did, but the Ender in him recoiled viciously at the thought. Did he have any other options, though?

Bad grabbed a potion from his bag. As everyone focused on him, Dream snuck out his hands, grabbing the drawstring for his bag and pulling it close. Clutching it against his chest, he shifted to his side and tucked the upper part of his arm under his body and against the ground. He pushed, using it and his shoulder to roll along the ground.

There were shouts behind him, he felt footsteps vibrate on the ground. It was too late, as the moment his body hit the river he was swept away.

He realized moments later that this was a _terrible_ plan.

The water pushed against him, crushing his lungs and he flailed, arms tied together and useless. The current was fast and harsh, and he was pulled under, body slamming into rocks and logs littering the bottom of the river. He tried to grab onto something, anything, but everything was rushing past him faster than he could react. His body flipped in the water.

His face slammed into a rock.

When he came to, everything was spinning and doubled. He was still in the water, but not where he was before, and he really needed to breathe soon. He sank further to the bottom, somehow planting his feet on the ground and pushing up. His head broke the surface and he gasped for air. His chest hurt from pressure and lack of air. His nose was bleeding, under the mask. He could feel it.

For a minute or so he floated, letting the rushing current take him farther away from the hunters. A riptide pulled him under, and he panicked, kicking up. A bundle of sharp branches scratched his legs underwater, and he banged his elbow against some stone in his panic.

He surfaced again, this time in a rush to get out. Up head, he could see a tree leaning over the river. He raised his tied hands, still clutching the bag, and waited. The force of the current made him slam into the tree trunk, and his ribs groaned. Ignoring it, he fixed his grasp, pulling himself up and onto the trunk.

For a second he just laid there, clutching the tree as water rushed below him. Shimming forward, he slid down the tree onto solid ground.

_Everything hurt._

He coughed, hacking up water. His breaths came out raspy and wet, and he felt the need to throw up. Swallowing the feeling, he sat down, checking himself out. His hands and wrists were rubbed raw, and his pants were ripped up, dark bloody spots scattered about. He could feel bruises forming on his elbow and knees. His hoodie and sweater were, surprisingly, _only_ wet and bloody. They hadn’t been torn or ripped. He took it as a blessing and felt his mask, moving to take it off.

He paused.

_Oh no._

The Enderborn crawled frantically to the river’s edge, looking into the water. His reflection stared back at him, and his mask, the mask his parents had made for him smiled up at him.

There was a large crack going straight through the middle of it.

Fuck fuck _fuck!_

Dream pushed himself back. Damnit! He slammed a fist into the ground, ignoring the sharp flare of pain and grumbling. It could be fixed, with End magic, but he didn’t have the time nor power necessary to do it right now. Not to mention that his hands were still tied.

He dug through his bag, upset that his healing potion was gone but happy to see that they didn’t find the knife Dream had nicked from Bad the first day he was there. After a bit of fumbling, he managed to cut the rope tying his hands together. Stretching, he took a deep breath and got up, looking around.

Wait.

_This place looked familiar._

No way. No way! He was _not_ that lucky! This had to be a different river, no way…

He turned and ran from the river, pushing through trees. He recognized this path, this place. This was the path to L’Manburg.

Had he really fallen into the one river that would wash him downstream here? How long was he in that river?? It felt like a minute, but his head was aching and he might have a concussion, so it might have been more. Didn’t he black out for a second? Was it only a second? Did it matter? No, this was the best place he could possibly be right now!

He continued running, waiting to see the familiar black walls greet him. When they didn’t he staggered, confused. This was the path, right?

He continued, slower this time. His exhaustion was catching up to him, and every time he breathed it was raspy and wet. When he saw the walls he let out a sigh of relief, before frowning. They weren’t as tall as they used to be. Was someone tearing down the walls? Why, to renovate them? Only the president- only Wilbur could authorize this, what was he doing?

When he came to the gate no one was manning it, and his frown deepened. The borders of L’Manburg were always well secured, since it was a sanctuary for borns and they didn’t want hunters or the like getting in. He stepped inside, walking through the streets. The playful energy of before had dissipated, the streets were empty and the houses were all closed.

“Would you look here?” He turned around slower then he would’ve liked, exhausted and hurt as he was. A man he didn’t recognize stood behind him, wearing a cleaned business suit. A burn covered his left cheek. “The infamous Dream, visiting my country. What a surprise!”

“Your country?” Since when? Dream’s been gone for only a few days, what happened? “Who are you?”

“Who am I? I’m the president.” The man grinned, snapping his fingers. Fundy appeared behind him, looking small. “And you, Enderborn, are trespassing.”

“What?!” He was more than a little confused. He was the president? He remembers Wilbur mentioning an election, but he knew the citizens of L’Manburg- they’ve loved him, no way they would vote him and Tommy out. “Where’s Wilbur and Tommy?”

“They were traitors.” The president said, and Dream felt something in him sink. “So I got rid of them. Now, if I am correct -which I know I am- there’s a hefty bounty from the king for you. 1 million gold would go a long way for Manburg, don’t you think?”

  
  


He was tired. Tired and in shock and everything still hurt, but it wasn’t just physical anymore. Wilbur and Tommy were _gone,_ and where was Tubbo? He wouldn’t sit by and watch it happen, where was he _where was Tubbo-_

Fundy was tying ropes around his wrists, looking apologetic, but Dream couldn’t bring himself to care. _They were gone. Tubbo was gone._ This man- why was he even- why was he…

They were walking now, but Dream couldn’t bring himself to care. He didn’t try to escape, didn’t try to teleport, because _what was the point? Tubbo was gone-_

He was taken to the middle of L’Manburg, taken underground to a prison of sorts. It was barren besides rows of empty cells and flickering lanterns. He was placed in the one closest to the door, and he didn’t bother trying to bargain. He only wanted to know one thing. “Who are you?”

“I’m Schlatt.” The man said, and Fundy winced behind him. “The new _emperor_ of Manburg.”

 _Schlatt._ That was his name. _Schlatt_ was the reason Tubbo was gone.

_He’ll pay for that with his life._

**_“You’re dead.”_ ** He growled, and while neither Schlatt or Fundy could understand him they understood context clues. Fundy jumped back, but Schlatt just laughed.

“Speak human when you're in my walls, Enderborn.” He turned away. “We’re a few days away from the capitol, so get used to that cell. Come on, Fundy.”

They left, and Dream sat down on the bed in the corner. Something hard and cold grew in his chest, and for once it wasn’t his pearl. He gritted his teeth, anger washing through him. He wanted to scream, to punch, to cry-

 _Tubbo was gone._ He left him here because it was _safe_ and now he’s _gone._ Dream should’ve stayed the extra day, he should’ve been there for the election. He could’ve protected him, could’ve done _more!_

He brought his knees up to his chest, curling up to try and warm himself. His clothes were still soaked, and in the dark basement he felt colder then he had ever felt before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I didn't write this just to torture you guys.  
> I wrote this to torture myself too (*﹏*;)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chill times. Bonding times. Fluff. The Blood God has also arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys have no clue how much your comments inspire me to keep on writing <3 tysm  
> Also someone started a petition to give Dream something called 'a break' so I guess here you go.  
> 3k words

Around an hour or so had passed before someone came to see him. “Hey, love.”

It was Fundy, ears pressed against his head and body tense. Dream felt another surge of anger- _he had let this happen._ “Fundy-”

The Foxborn shushed him, and he was about to snap back but then he unlocked his cell. “Come with me and _stay quiet.”_

He was tired, aching and sore, did he really have a choice? Slipping out of the cell, he followed Fundy deeper into the prison. The man went to a blank wall, brushing his fingers against the top corner. The corner clicked like a button, and the wall slid away. “What-?”

“It’s a bunker.” Fundy grinned. “Leads a bit away to a place Tommy calls Pogtopia. Come on-” He held out an arm. “-you look like you could use some help.”

He didn’t argue, letting the other born support him as they made their way down the tunnel, the door closing behind them. He was silent the way there, since Dream was too exhausted to really do much else then put one foot in front of the other. Fundy, though, did enough talking for both of them.

“Schlatt was a last moment candidate.” He explained. “He and another candidate formed a coalition. Wilbur and Tommy won, but once they counted the combined votes Schlatt became president. He changed us to Manburg and told me to tear down the walls.” Fundy held up a swollen red hand. “It’s a lot of work…”

“Are they…” _He had to know._ “Where’s Tubbo?”

“Safe.” Fundy confirmed, and the ball of coldness in his chest evaporated. He let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “He was here for a bit, acting a spy, but Schlatt found out. Tried to get Technoblade to publicly execute him.” He shivered. “I think he didn’t know that Techno’s Wilbur’s and Tommy’s older brother. It didn’t end well for him.”

Dream wondered if it had anything to do with the burn on his face.

They reached the edge of the tunnel, which ended in a simple iron door. Fundy tapped on it in some type of pattern, and after a quiet second it opened. “You shouldn’t be here Fu- Dream!”

It was Tubbo. The boy immediately forgot what he was saying, jumping forward and tackling him in a hug. He would’ve fallen if not for Fundy holding him up. He didn’t care anyway because Tubbo was _here_ and _alive_ and _safe._ **_“Thank god.”_ **

Tubbo frowned. When he spoke, it was slow. **_“Thank… him, for what?”_ **

**_“Nothing.”_ ** He ruffled his hair. **_“We need to practice your Ender, child.”_ **

Ender was created by Endermen, and it had a few words with no translation. There was no word for ‘younger’ or ‘youth’ or ‘kid’, it all fell under ‘child’. Younger borns or siblings were ‘children’ and older borns were ‘elders’. It was also a term of endearment, and Tubbo preened. “We do we do we do!”

“You never speak Ender to me.” Another voice said, and Tommy appeared beyond the door. He didn’t look his best, arm in a sling and bandages covering little cuts and scratches on his face. “You look like shit, Dream.”

“Right back at ya.” Dream said at the same time Tubbo said, “You can’t speak it, so it doesn’t matter.” 

Tommy decided to answer Tubbo, whirling around on him. “You don’t know that! Come on, say something!”

**_“The Romans left their art in the archives!”_ **

Tommy froze, obviously confused, and Dream bursted out laughing, a soft wheeze sneaking through. Tommy turned to him, as if pretending Tubbo didn’t speak. “Thanks Fundy, we got it from here.”

Fundy nodded, letting Dream go. Tubbo took his place immediately. “See you later, love.”

“Thank you.” He said genuinely, and the Foxborn smiled, disappearing the way they came. Dream and the others made their way inside ‘Pogtopia’, a city carved out of a ravine. It was surprisingly pretty, and how did they get grass in here? “Where’s Wilbur?”

“Talking with-” Tommy paused. “Oh yeah, guess what?”

“What?”

“Techno came back!” Tommy jumped in excitement, wincing slightly. Dream didn’t blame him, he knew Tommy looked up to his older brother. “I wrote him after the election and a day later he was here! I don’t know how he moves so fast!”

“I shall never reveal my secrets.” Techno appeared from around the corner, Wilbur and Niki trailing behind. Wilbur was limping, but Niki seemed fine. Techno looked like he did last time he saw him, royal clothes he thinks he either stole or got because he was, at one point, a prince, and a boar skull covering his face as a mask.

Techno was probably the second most infamous born in the kingdom, after him. Everyone knew him as a Piglin Blood God. The king would call on him from time to time to fight in an arena or help a war effort. Piglinborns are known for their bloodlust anyway, and Techno couldn’t really say no to the king, in fear of being hunted like Dream. He rarely ever saw the man, but whenever they did they had at least one duel. He usually lost, but every now and then he’d get him.

There was something else about him, though. Something only close family and friends knew.

All borns had physical traits that gave them away. Fullborns all had markings on their arms, and you could narrow down what they were depending on the color. There are other tells, some big, some small. Blazeborn’s eyes go orange when they summon fire, and they have markings on their torso that look like blaze rods. That’s easier to hide, compared to Enderborn, who always have to wear masks. Another easier tell is for Witherborns- they don’t have eyes, just empty, dark sockets. Little red pinpricks of light shine in the middle of them, it's their way of seeing. It’s also why Enderborn and Witherborn were killed so fast, they couldn’t hide as well.

Piglinborns could have tusks, but many are born without. Those without wear boar skull masks instead. For Piglinborns it was a target, but for other borns it was a great way to hide what they really were. Techno _did_ used to be a prince, but not a prince to a kingdom, and not a prince to the Piglinborns. No, he used to be the prince of the Witherborns.

Witherborns were rare to begin with, even before the genocide. They weren’t wither skeletons, but actual withers, which was in itself an anomaly. Withers are thought to be man made, like golems. Golems don’t have borns, so withers shouldn’t either. Witherborns didn’t get the ability to copy their heads and throw them at people, making them explode, but they did get other, insanely strong powers. They can wither things, are stronger than normal, and have this weird ability to sometimes glide. They’re also very resistant to everything. They’re one of the only types of borns that had a monarchy, before they were all killed off, and Techno was the prince. From what Dream knows, he barely escaped the massacre, and Phil, his adopted dad, found him.

The king thought his father had wiped them all out. He didn’t know that his favorite gladiator was one himself. The last Witherborn.

“Long time no see.” Dream greeted. “I’m guessing you’re back to help out?”

“Schlatt and I used to be friends, you know?” Techno’s voice was as monotone as ever. “Never told him I had brothers, though. Doesn’t matter now, does it? He did this, _he’ll pay.”_

Witherborns are also known for their tempter. Techno was surprisingly level-headed, but Dream knows that sometimes, he can’t help himself. Dream would love to help, but having him there just made the entire thing a publicity stunt, and it would bring L’Manburg unwanted attention from the capitol and the king. If they knew both Dream and Techno were there, he’d definitely send people out here, and he can’t have them accidentally finding out about either Techno or Tubbo.

He _would_ get back at Schlatt, though. That was a promise.

“We can talk about rebellion later.” Wilbur limped forward. “You look like shit, Dream. What happened? Why are you so wet, you hate water.”

“It’s a bit of a story.” Dream tried for a smile, but he doesn’t know how well it worked. 

“Well, judging by how you look, we’ll have time to hear it while patching you up.” Wilbur looked him up and down. He frowned. “Your mask…”

“Tubbo can fix it.” He waved away his worry, turning to the boy. “If you’ve been practicing like I told you to.”

“I have I have!” Tubbo bounced his head. Halfborns could use Ender magic too, enough that repairing the mask wouldn’t be too hard.

“Good.” Wilbur said. “Come on. Tommy and Niki, please get us some medical supplies, blankets, and a change of clothes. Knock on the door before you enter.”

The two humans disappeared, and Wilbur led them to an open room with a cot, chair, and a few benches. He made Dream sit on the bed, pulling the chair close and sitting backwards on it. Techno and Tubbo took the bench. They were all looking at him expectantly, and he forced out a breath, raising a hand and untying his mask, taking it off.

Here's the thing about that.

Dream _knows_ it's safe to take it off around borns, _knows_ it won't set him off at all. That doesn't mean that he doesn't get worried, because Wilbur is a **_Halfborn_** which means he's half siren **_half_** **_Looker-_**

Instinctively he slams his eyes shut, and Wilbur (who's had to deal with this every time he takes his mask off, bless him-) is there immediately, placing soft hands on either side of his face. "It's just us, Dream, just us. Just, me, Techno, and Tubbo. It's just us."

A thumb brushed against his jaw, hard and scaly, and some tension he didn’t know he was carrying left his shoulders. It didn’t feel human, didn’t feel **_Looker,_ ** which meant it was _safe._

Bless the Sirenborn, he understood his fear and never held it against him, even though he always felt like such a burden. Wilbur was a little colder than the normal human, but compared to him it was warm and comforting, similar to Tubbo in a way. He wanted to lean into the hands, but that would probably be too much.

 **_"Promise?"_ ** He knew he was overreacting, knew no one else was in there, but he had to _make sure._ He couldn't afford making a mistake. Tommy and Niki were nearby, he could never...

Wilbur knew exactly three words in Ender, this being one of them. **_"Promise."_ **

He took a deep breath, listening to Wilbur's soft murmurs before he forced his eyes open. He met Wilbur’s eyes first, then Techno’s, then Tubbo’s. The boy grinned at him, proud, before taking the mask from his hand and moving back to Techno. Dream didn’t know how much Ender the Witherborn knew- the two weren’t as similar as Demon and Ender were. He seemed like the type to learn just because he wouldn't want to be out of the loop whenever he spoke it. He could guide him if Tubbo needed help.

Wilbur studied his face. It wasn’t the first time he’s seen it, but it isn’t an often occurrence. “Your nose might be broken. Who did this?”

Awe, he sounded adorable when he was being protective. He wasn’t that much older then Dream, anyway. “A rock.” He said bluntly. “Most of this is, actually. Jumped into a rushing river.”

“You’re an idiot.” Wilbur laughed softly. There was a knock on the door, and Dream jerked his head to stare at the nearest wall. He heard the door creak open, heard Niki’s soft murmurs, and then she was gone. “It’s safe, Dream. **_Promise”_ ** Wilbur murmured like the chorus of a song. "It's just us, no one else in here." Clothes were dumped in his lap, soft pants and a thin short sleeved shirt. He’d be cold, but he couldn’t really complain. This wasn’t L’Manburg, they didn’t have much to spare. “Go change.” He pointed towards a different door.

The door led to a small bathroom, and he changed quickly, shivering even though the dry clothes felt better. His markings were dull, duller then they’d been in a long time.

He came back out and WIlbur frowned. He had noticed the markings too. “We don’t have any potions.” The Halfborn said. “So we’ll just have to wrap everything up and try to stop any heavy bleeding.”

He nodded. “None of them are bad anyway.”

Wilbur snorted. “Your nose may be broken and you definitely have a concussion.” He grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back to sit on the bed. At the bench, Tubbo was muttering Ender under his breath as Techno watched on, eyes flickering to them every now and then. “So, care to explain what happened since we last saw each other?”

He was tempted to skip to the end, to skip over what happened to those 3 hunters, but if Sapnap and George came back, he’d rather Wilbur and Tubbo already know, instead of learning it from them. “Well, I ran into some goblins. That was no fun, but they’re terrified of Ender so I just shouted at them and they ran. Then, uh, three hunters caught me.”

Tubbo stopped his muttering, head snapping up. The crack in his mask was smaller than before. “What?”

“I’m fine now, don’t worry.” He said, then winced when Wilbur dabbed particularly hard at one cut, glaring at him as it to say ‘stop lying’. “They had a born net- heavily enchanted, more than usual. I was kind of trapped. One of them tried to take my mask-”

This time Wilbur’s head shot up, eyes wide and he already guessed what happened to the hunters, even though he wasn’t completely right. “Did they-?”

“No.” Wilbur relaxed, and Dream caught Techno’s eyes on him, even though he was wearing a mask. “But, you know, that’s dangerous, so I panicked. There were some Endermen nearby, so I called for help, and…”

He didn’t need to finish that. Everyone knew what Endermen would do to someone who attacked an Enderborn. He continued. “I stayed with them for a day or two, until the rain made them move. Ran into Sapnap and George, jumped off a cliff like an idiot and sprained my ankle. This Demon Halfborn found me, and I stayed with him for a little while. Turns out he was with George and Sapnap. I got caught again, and as they argued I got out and jumped into the river to get away. Washed me downstream to L’Manburg.” A little revised, but close enough to the truth.

“Why were they arguing?” Techno leaned back, and Dream wonders how much he knows about the two. Probably nothing, since Wilbur would have no reason to tell him.

“The Demon Halfborn, Bad, didn’t want to turn me in.” Dream explains, and Wilbur paused in wrapping a particularly large gash. “George said they had to. Sapnap was kinda neutral.”

“They had to?” Tubbo’s fingers clicked against his mask as Ender runes floated around him, mending it.

“They all have problems that turning me in would fix.” Dream said, frowning. “I think Sapnap’s scheduled to be executed.”

Wilbur let out a sharp breath. “Don’t go playing the martyr, Dream.”

He hated how well they could read him, especially without his mask on. “Wouldn’t _dream_ of it.”

“Oh, yeah!” Tubbo jumped up, handing him his mask, fixed. “You never did tell me what ‘Dream’ meant in Ender. You didn’t tell me what ‘Tubbo’ meant either! You said you would.”

He doesn’t know if Tubbo is genuinely curious or if he's trying to change the subject. Well, since he brought up Ender, might as well make him use it. **_“I’ll tell you if you ask me in Ender.”_ **

Tubbo pouted, and Techno, who probably understood him somewhat, snorted, translating for Wilbur. He didn’t care, Tubbo needs to practice anyway. **_“What… what does ‘Tubbo’ are, uh, and! What does ‘Tubbo’ and ‘Dream’ mean?”_ **

**_“Tubbo means_ ** ‘last gift.’ **_You were your mother’s last gift to your father, most likely.”_ ** Ender was the type of language that could feel rough and harsh one second and then soothing and kind the next, depending completely on body language. **_“Dream means survivor. Ironic, isn’t it?”_ **

“Yeah-” Tubbo paused when Dream leveled him a look. **_“Yeah, it is. How’d they… uh, know?”_ **

**_“They didn’t.”_ ** He said. **_“I was a sick baby, they didn’t think I was going to survive. When I did, they named me_ ** ‘Blessed Survivor’ ** _, or, in the Ender language, Dream.”_ **

“Cool.” Tubbo said, and Dream let it slide, because at that moment Wilbur stood up, done with his bandages. Dream stood after him, replacing his mask. “Come on, we don’t have any extra rooms, so you can stay with me.”

He didn’t argue, because this time, for once, he knew Tubbo needed the comfort more than him. “If you need my help with the rebellion, send me a message.” He said as he got up to leave. He knew they wouldn't ask unless it got really bad, anyways. He was helpful, but he also brought unnecessary risks. “I’ll be there, hunters be damned.”

He turned in early, and when Tubbo woke up from a nightmare in the middle of the night, Dream stayed up with him and told him the entire Robin Hood story (which he had memorized, of course. He did it in Ender too-) until the sun came up and he left Pogtopia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn’t change this chapter much but I did add Wilbur calming Dream down after he took his mask off (starts with "here's the thing about that" and ends with "before he forced his eyes open") since Avietas in chapter 6 commented that it would be sweet. I agree wholeheartedly, he needs all the comfort he can get. Also it allowed me to add the term ‘Looker’ MUCH earlier than I was planning to, so that’s fun.  
> Techno's also a Witherborn, I wonder how many people guess that lol. And yes, Tubbo knows Ender but isn't very good at actually communicating with it. He'll learn.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm calling LeGuardian out for reading the entirety of my Gods and Admins fic without realizing that I also wrote this one lmao. Luv ya! <3  
> 2k words.

When he leaves Pogtopia, his head is surprisingly clear and he actually has a plan. He’d have to deal with hunters chasing him everywhere he went if he didn’t get rid of their compasses. It’d take awhile, but compasses were hard to make, and he’s sure he can get rid of them faster than the king could make them. They’d give up eventually, because compasses were expensive to make too, and the king is much too stingy to spend that much on  _ one  _ born.

Hopefully.

So he goes off, wandering randomly until he comes up on a group of five, looking to split the 1 million gold prize. Just like the trio before, they were all human and they all thought of him as something lesser. He already knew that George and Sapnap were different than the rest, but this just put the nail in the coffin. Now that he thinks about it, they're the only hunters he's ever had an actual, semi-decent conversation with. Hmm.

They take one look at him and take out the net.

_ He hates the net. _

He swallows his anger and fear, walking towards them like he didn't notice what they were doing. Which one had the compass? "Hey." He greeted, sticking his hands into his hoodie pockets. He had put that and his sweater back on after they dried. "I heard there's a bounty on my head or something. Care to point me in the way of the capitol? I could do with 1 million gold right now."

The one in the back put something in her pocket. It glowed like a compass, but Dream couldn't be sure. "Why don't we escort you there?" One said in a sickly sweet voice, and he'd have rolled his eyes if they could see them.

"Cut the crap!" Another shouted at both him and his partner. He grabbed the net in his hands as if it weighed nothing and threw it towards him.

Ok, nevermind, he is  _ not _ risking that incoming panic attack.

He turned on his heel, ignoring the aching pain he still felt from the river and running back towards the woods he had just left. The hunters shouted and followed, and Dream went right onto Plan B.

He reached the treeline, picking a tall tree a few feet inside the forest and scrambling up it, fingers latching onto a high branch and pulling himself up and into the leaves. The hunters ran inside, knowing he climbed a tree but not knowing which one. He stilled, tensing and coiling his muscles.

The one with the compass stepped under his tree.

He jumped, springing out of the tree and landing on the hunter, pushing her to the ground. She screamed, obviously terrified, and the others turned to him, leveling their crossbows. Dream pulled the hunter up, locking an arm around her neck and using her as a meat shield. "I wouldn't, if I were you."

"One less person to share the cut with." The hunter from before scoffed, but Dream could tell he was bluffing. He ignored the buffoon, reaching into the hunter's pocket. 

His fingers brushed against the compass, and he grinned, grabbing it and holding it up for them to see. "Ooo, I always wanted one of these. Thanks, guys."

And, for the first time in forever, his pearl got the message and teleported him away.

It wasn't far, and his chest now felt like water under a frozen lake, but it did its job. He landed in a tree a few blocks away, but the sound of him appearing was drowned out by the hunters' panicking cries. They lost their compass. They couldn't track him anymore.

He cackled softly, watching them cry out in despair. It's never tasted so sweet.

He finds a manticore a few hours later and tries to get it to break it with his stinger. The manticore, oddly civil, agrees to try, but when it doesn't work it gets angry and attacks him. He still doesn't have a weapon, so he has to bring out the claws again.

The manticore realizes he's an Ender and scampers away, fearful of purple eyes watching in the dark. Dream would laugh at the sight, but he knows the manticore had good reason to be afraid.

He comes across a few mobs the next night- a zombie, a creeper, a few skeletons. They're a lot less helpful, but he still tries. He shoves the compass down the zombie's throat when it tries to eat him, waits until the creeper is about to explode before dropping the compass and running. His breakthrough comes when a skeleton shoots at him and hits the compass instead, cracking the glass. He grins, finally happy for some progress, before tearing the skeleton's limb off and stealing it's bow and arrows. It takes two more high power shots to completely shatter the compass. He knows it's completely broken when he moves around and it doesn't follow him.

He lets out a whoop of victory and leaves the destroyed compass on the ground, completely useless.

Days pass. He doesn't see those hunters again.

One down, dozens to go.

When he finds the desert he grins, unbelieving of his luck.  _ Yes! _

No hunter was stupid enough to brave the desert heat. It went on for miles and miles, with little to no water to be seen. Only certain borns lived there, ones made for this type of heat. Borns who could cool their internal body temperatures.

All it does for Enderborns is warm them up a bit. For Blazeborns, though, it could overheat them.

Those particular hunters  _ couldn't  _ follow him.

He took a second to stop by the nearest town, buying some extra bottles and filling them all with water before heading out into the desert. The heat of the sun did little more than make him drowsy, which, in all honesty, just felt nice. He didn’t plan to go far- he’s been through this desert before, he knows what's on the other side. It was kind of far from L’Manburg, so he normally never went, unless he had just left the town.

Which he had, so-

By the time he stopped for camp the sun was falling and he had already drank an entire bottle of water. He still had plenty left, stuffed in among his blankets and such. Speaking of, the desert could get pretty cold at night, so he better get those out and ready for when the chill hits. He’d rather keep the warm glow he felt for as long as possible.

Sadly, even with the blankets the feeling of warmth dissipated as the cold set in. When traveling he only ever took out one or two blankets, since he always had to be ready to get up and run at any point. That meant, though, that he could never be warm enough. Five minutes after the sun had set and he was already freezing again.

He grumbled to himself, closing his eyes and hoping for sleep when he heard a thump vibrate along the ground. Startled, he scrambled up. It could be anything from a mob to born nomads, he had to check it out before he dozed off.

Opening his tent he got out, climbing the nearest sand dune. The vibrations had been on the softer side, meaning whatever did it was still a little bit out. They wouldn't have seen his tent yet, since he had it made surrounded by other sand dunes.

On the other side of the dune was a person, laying face first in the sand.

He recognized them.

_ “Sapnap?!” _ He exclaimed, before clamping a hand around his mouth, looking around for the other hunters. When he didn’t see them and Sapnap didn't respond, he suddenly understood. “Oh, you  _ idiot.” _

He made his way forward, muttering under his breath as he neared the Blazeborn. His hand touched the born’s skin and he almost flinched back at the scalding heat. Yep, he was right.

George and Bad were probably back at the village he had gotten supplies from, trying to find a path around the desert because it was too dangerous for Sapnap. Sapnap, being the  _ absolute idiot _ he seems to be, went off on his own to probably prove that he could in fact brave the desert.

Long story short, he couldn’t. Even though it was dark he had to of left when it was light outside and thus caused himself to overheat.

Overheat.

_ Oh fuck. _

Dream placed a hand on his forehead, which was just as hot as his arm. Overheating was  _ dangerous, _ deadly in some circumstances. There was no way he was going to get out of here without help, Bad and George would take too long to find him and if they couldn’t before the sun came up then he was in very real danger. Dream gritted his teeth. He could leave him here, leave him to die. No one would ever know, he’d get buried in the next dust storm.

Who was he kidding?

He turned on his heel, marching back to his tent. With quickness only achieved after being chased for years, he packed up his entire camp and picked up his supplies, heading back over to the downed man. When he made it back he stood there for a second, trying to figure out what he wanted to do.

He was cold, he could help. But Sapnap was  _ really _ hot right now, and Dream wasn’t immune to getting burned. After another second he sighed, pulling out a bottle of water and uncorking it.

He spilled the entire contents of the bottle over the Blazeborn.

Sapnap, worryingly enough, didn’t even flinch, completely still and kind of serene. He’d think the born was just sleeping if it wasn’t for the sweat rolling off his pinched face, mixed with water and sand. Dream put the empty bottle away, taking his bag off his back and bending down to pick the born up.

_ Heat. _

He almost dropped him. It burned, how hot he was. He’s surprised his clothes hadn’t caught fire. Especially where Sapnap’s side touches his body. That’s where his blazerods would be, and that's where he was the hottest right now (like Dream’s pearl). While he still enjoyed the heat, this wasn’t really about him. He needed to cool the Blazeborn’s temperature, which meant he couldn’t be carrying him like this.

After a few minutes of struggling and shifting about. He got Sapnap securely on his back, arms dangling down his shoulders and Dream’s own arms locked around his legs like it was a piggyback ride. The entirety of his back was warm, and his pearl seemed to despise that, cooling itself and as a result cooling the rest of his body. Sapnap seemed to hum in his sleep, which was better than the unresponsiveness he was getting earlier. The Blazeborn nuzzled his head into the crook of Dream’s neck, chasing the cold. He shivered at the heat, for some reason.

Dream picked up his bag, starting his journey back to town. With the person he was carrying it was slow work, but he had a deadline and he really didn’t feel like getting caught. At least he was getting warmer by the second.

Finally, right before the sun peeked out of the horizon, he caught sight of town. He couldn’t get to close, so he stopped right outside of town, near a scattering of trees. Setting the hunter against one of the trees, he cracked his back, looking towards town. A thought came to mind, and he checked the Blazeborn’s pockets for a compass.

He didn’t have it.

He was looking for Dream compassless, the complete numskull. Dream would hurt the born if he hadn’t just done so much to save him. He ignored the fact that he was a hunter, sitting next to the still unconscious born. Sapnap leaned into him subconsciously, and Dream mimicked the motion, resting his own head on top of Sapnap’s black hair. When he had put the born down the cold started seeping back immediately, but now his entire side was warm, and he’d rather have this then the desert any day. 

Sapnap had cooled down too, at least to whatever cool you could call a Blazeborn. Dream could leave and not have to worry about him overheating, thankfully.

He allowed himself to stay like this for a half an hour before he saw people in town start their day. He sighed, standing up and pushing Sapnap back against a tree before backing up, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Time to retrace his steps. Time to go back into the desert.

He looked back at the desert, before turning to the Blazeborn. He didn’t trust the born to not go back and do the same exact thing, the idiot he was. He’ll probably think him going into the desert in the first place was just a dream.

Cursing his soft heart, he turned and left.

He’ll go around the desert, this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this mostly calm chapter because we won't have another one of those for a bit ;) Oh lord the angst is coming back on Saturday you have no clue.  
> Desert scene brought to you by an idea I got from Kaitlion back in chapter 6! They said Sapnap should get sick and overheat but I didn’t know how to add it so I just made him run into a desert stupidly. I was gonna have him be awake but I’ve already written most of the story and him remembering this happen would completely f with everything so sadly he won’t remember this.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I say I woke up yesterday, grabbed my phone, and randomly added copious amounts of fluff to my most angsty chapter yet, I am not lying. Why? I have no clue. Should I have done that? I’m not sure yet...  
> 2.5k words.

He manages to steal a solo hunter's compass and a group of six’s compass before getting cocky and deciding to go for the big boys- George, Sapnap, and Bad. He'd been avoiding them, continuously moving in random patterns to keep them away. If he was completely honest, he didn't want to destroy their compass. If he did, they'd be forced to stop and go back. George said something about a death sentence, and Dream didn't hate them enough to want that for Sapnap (he did save him). It was kind of the opposite, actually- in another world, he's sure they'd be friends.

But he had to, if he really wanted to be free. He pushed the guilt bubbling up in his stomach away and started planning. This wasn’t like the desert- they could find another way to keep the Blazeborn alive that  _ didn’t _ involve them dragging him to the capitol.

It was simple, a lot like what he did before with the group of five. He'd lure them into a forest, jump George, who probably still had the compass, take the compass, teleport away, and boom, he's home free. There'd be other hunters, of course, but they'd be much farer and fewer between, unless the king ups his bounty again.

He always got more hunters whenever the bounty was changed.

He decides to let the duo (plus maybe Bad) catch up to him. While they're walking along, he can take a break and catch some shut eye, if he's lucky. He was sitting in one of the tallest trees in the forest right now, they couldn't get him without waking him up.

He decides to do just that, shutting his eyes and leaning back. He had gotten (stolen) a healing potion from a witch a swamp back, and he was much less sore because of it. His ankle and shoulder were back to normal, and his nose, which wasn't broken, only bleeds sporadically now.

So in all, a good few days.

As he drifted off his mind floated back to L'Man- Pogtopia. To Wilbur and Tommy, to Techno and Niki. To Tubbo. He hoped they were safe, but how safe could you be during a rebellion?

He wished he stayed, but that'd do more harm than good. Schlatt obviously didn't care about borns as much as Wilbur, he'd allow all the hunters he could get into the country- he'd turn them into mercenaries if he could. Dream couldn't risk that.

He just had to hope. Hope and believe. Plus, they could contact him if they really needed him. Magic was very helpful for those kinds of things.

He sighed. Sleeping would be hard if he focused on that. Dumping his brain, he forcefully cleared his mind, instead humming an old Ender tune that used to help him sleep.

Dream doesn't know when he fell asleep, but he woke up to voices. "He's somewhere over here."

He knew that voice.

His heart sped up in slight anticipation, and he sat up, making sure his bag was locked firmly around his body before looking down. Sapnap, George, and Bad all stood around the base of his tree. George had the compass in his hand.

As one, the three hunters looked up and saw him.

"Hello." He greeted.

Then he turned around and jumped, grabbing a branch with both hands and using it to swing forward. He let go, almost flying through the air as he landed in another tree. Not taking a moment to pause, he used his momentum to fly forward and snatch another branch, twisting so he went at an angle and landed in a tree to the left of him.

_ This was fun. _

The hunters yelled after him, chasing him on the ground as he swung through the trees. Due to their late start and surprise, Dream had a bit of a lead on them, and it was growing. He passed a few more trees, planting a foot against the branch of one and jumping into the canopy of another, immediately stilling and waiting for the hunters to catch up.

They appeared a minute later, panting for breath. "When'd he turn into Tarzan?!" Sapnap gasped, and while Dream didn't understand it sounded funny and he wanted to laugh.

George, the only human, placed his hands on his knees, leaning over as he tried to fill his lungs. After a second of what looked like dying, he dug into his pocket and pulled out his compass. "He can't be far."

_ Bingo. _

The hunters started spreading out, George getting closer to his tree. Dream stared at a spot in another tree close by, keeping that in mind before jumping down. He tackled the hunter, and George screamed, much louder than the female hunter before. His ears might be bleeding, actually. The man clawed at his face, feral, but Dream ignored it, snatching the compass and jumping back.

The other hunters had come running back by then. Sapnap looked like a coiled spring, ready to run after him the moment he moved, and that could be a problem. He and Bad could definitely keep up with him, and he needs to make a smooth getaway.

Before he could teleport away Sapnap jumped him, aiming to tackle him and probably pin him down. Dream ducked under him, eyeing Bad as he came closer. The Demon Halfborn seemed reluctant, but not enough so that he wouldn’t still attack. George tried to jump him from behind and he lashed out, catching him in the shoulder before sweeping him to the floor. Sapnap came for him again, and he kicked the Blazeborn in the chest, pushing him away more so than actually hurting him.

He  _ really _ didn’t want to fight them.

His mind went back to the tree from earlier, and he focused on the thought. His pearl grew cold, and he smiled at the hunters, waving. Moments later he was gone.

He stumbled, feet crunching against the ground. The Enderborn blinked, confused for a second. Had he not teleported into the tree? Sighing in frustration, he looked around. While he could hear the hunters, he couldn't see them, and he guessed that was good enough.

As quietly as he could, he started making his way back to his sleeping tree, almost sneaking as to not draw attention. The forest was strangely quiet on the way back, and it took him much longer due to him having to be careful. When he reached the tree he took off his bag, grabbing some arrows. His bow was hooked onto his back under the bag, and he placed the compass on the ground, plucking an arrow and aiming at the cursed thing.

It broke in one shot.

Dream picked it up, almost unbelieving. When he twisted it, though, it didn't follow him anymore. He dropped it on the ground, almost too hopeful to believe.

_ The compass was gone. He was free. _

_ "Yes!"  _ He shouted, throwing his hands up. He didn't care if the hunters heard, because he was far enough away and the compass was  _ gone _ and, at least for now, he could finally relax a little.

Before he could really celebrate, though, something hard and solid hit the back of his head.

He was out before he could hit the ground.

When he woke up it was to a massive headache and equally massive embarrassment.

He spoke too early, didn't he?

He blinks, sitting up and looking around. They're close to the capitol, which means Dream's been out for at least a day and a half and it was now night. Bad probably slipped him some sleeping potion or something. He's also semi-warm, which means that Sapnap had probably been the one to carry him the way here. His hands were still tied with normal rope, and Dream wondered if they did that out of courtesy- if they remembered his reaction to it and changed because of it.

Wishful thinking, most likely. Sapnap probably just hated the chains too and George wasn't using them for his sake. That made more sense than them caring about him.

Speaking of, the three were arguing again. Dream didn't bother playing pretend this time. "I really gotta stop letting myself be knocked out…"

"You're awake!" Bad beams at him, like he's _ not _ a Demon Halfborn hunter looking to turn him into the king. "Please explain to this muffin that you're perfectly friendly!"

George was glaring at Bad, so Dream guessed he meant him. "I am." he agreed slowly. "At least, to those that don't attack me."

George's face was no longer cold indifference when he looked at him. He now looked guilty but resigned, as did Sapnap, and Dream wondered how much Bad talked to them since they last saw each other. "If we don't do this, Sapnap will  _ die, _ Bad."

"Well, that's if they find me, right?" Sapnap cuts in tentatively. "I can just hide with Bad, right?"

"You'd be a criminal then." George crossed his arms. "A criminal  _ born, _ Sapnap. You'd be the next biggest bounty after Dream, but you'd be wanted  _ dead." _

"Yeah, I don't recommend." Dream cut in, and why was he talking against his best interests here? He really didn't want to see the Blazeborn die. He didn't want that heat to be stolen away forever. "It's really not fun, having hunters chasing after you for something you can't control."

The three winced, and Dream thought it served them right.

"Look." Bad gestured to him. "He's obviously not a bad guy. He's probably got friends and family. I'd never forgive myself if I tore that up and took his bounty money."

"Bad." Sapnap said softly. "He's the last Enderborn, he doesn't have family-"

"No." George cut in, looking at him with eyes he couldn't explain. "That one kid, in L'Manburg? The Halfborn with the bright blue eyes. Might be Siren or Guardian? Name starts with a S or T?"

Tubbo.  _ He was talking about Tubbo.  _ His hackles raised, and he growled.  **_"Leave him alone."_ **

Sapnap and George jumped, startled, but Bad took a step closer, hands raised in peace, speaking Demon. He only understood a few words.  **_"No… hurt… safe."_ **

He leveled a look at the other two. "Don't you  _ dare _ go anywhere near him."

"No!" George looked disgusted at the thought. "I'd never- that's not why I brought it up. Are you two family?"

He wished his mask was off, so they could see how dangerous the ground they were treading on was. "I met him after I lost my real family." He half-lied calmly, enjoying the downcast look they all had. "He had lost his family too, to hunters. They didn't kill him only because they didn't know if he was a born or not. We took care of each other, and I left him at L'Manburg because it was safer than with me."

Bad raised his hands, as if that made his point. "We can't, guys, we can't!” He repeated. "I can't knowingly throw another born into noble hands! I can't force a born to live as a pet for the rest of his life! And I know you guys can't either! We'll figure something else out- we'll go to another kingdom or find another way to set you free, but _we_ _can't do this."_

It was very heartwarming and touching, and Dream doesn't know why he ruined it. "You're the weirdest Demonborn I've ever met."

Bad smiled at him, tilting his head. "I get that a lot.

"How'd you guys even catch up to me?" He asked as the other two mulled over Bad's words. He admits, it'd be nice to have them on his side. His mind instantly went to how  _ warm _ it would be and he cursed himself. He was doing so well, too, not thinking about it.

"I used my magic and summoned a skeleton dog." Bad explained. "It led us right to you."

"Neat." He looked around, keeping that in mind before the pounding in his head made him wince. 

Bad frowned. "Here, let me..."

Dream was about to recoil, before remembering that he was tied up and he couldn't do anything anyway. Bad raised his hands, murmured something in Demon, and black magic poured from his fingers, wrapping around him. His headache faded, and a soft ringing he hadn't realized was there stopped.

"Thank you." He looked at Sapnap and George. He had to send this home, somehow. "So, are you selling me into slavery or not?"

That was definitely the right thing to say there.

"He's right." Sapnap stepped forward, face set in grim determination. He could see fear in his eyes. "I've been in that position before, I couldn't put someone else there too. I think I'd actually rather die."

"Sap-" George started, but Sapnap cut him off.

"No, George." He said, and his eyes flashed orange. "I'm getting the death penalty for a reason. You know why?" He turned to Dream. "It's because I killed my 'owner'. Set him on fire and then burned down his entire house. Watched him scream and suffer and I  _ enjoyed it, _ because he  _ deserved it. _ He deserved to die, for what he did to me and every other born he had ever owned. I don't regret it, and if I die because of it then I die satisfied." He turned back to George. "I've let this go on for too long. I know you're looking out for me, and truly,  _ thank you, _ but it's time I take responsibility for my actions. I'm not letting someone else take my place."

George gaped. Dream blinked, surprised. He didn't expect that- he didn't know that Blazeborns could even  _ be _ that serious. His mind tried to imagine what could have caused it, before he realized it was most definitely trauma and he cut the thought off. The noble who hurt him was dead, no use getting mad now.

"Alright." George sighed, giving up surprisingly quickly, fast enough that Dream could tell he didn’t want to do it either. "You're right, Dream shouldn't pay for us. We'll do it Bad's way." He looked at Dream. "No hard feelings?"

"I hate you." 

George shrugged, and Dream couldn't tell if he knew he was being sarcastic or not. "That's to be expected." He walked forward, taking out a knife to cut the ropes around his wrists.

At that moment, light showed from over the hill. They all froze as several heavily armored knights on horses came trotting over.

The king's guard, on a nightly patrol.

"Ah, hunters, greetings." The main knight said, nodding at them. Well, at George and Sapnap, since the latter could pass as a human. They, along with Bad, had frozen. Dream had as well, staring at the group in front of him. "What do you have here?"

_ There were way too many. They couldn't fight them off. _

They had horses as well, and the closest forest was too far for him to teleport to.  _ Fuck. _

"Uh, just a bounty." George rubbed a hand through his hair, smiling warily. "We'll be fine bringing it in on our own, though."

Bad hadn't moved an inch since the knights had appeared. When the knight pushed his lantern farther forward, their eyes all glazed over Bad and settled on him, like they couldn't see him.

_ Oh, that no good son of a muffin protecting himself with his magic but not Dream?! _

He'd be upset if he wasn't terrified. "Hey… is that an Ender mask?"

_ They knew. _

George didn't get to speak, as another knight glanced forward. "You guys caught Dream?" He shouted, surprised, and a murmur started up in the ranks. "The  _ Enderborn,  _ Dream?"

_ He was so screwed. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh heh  
> Anyway, since I saw comments about it, I thought I’d explain the heat/warmth/cold thing a little more. Imagine a balanced scale. On one side of the scale is Dream, and on the other side is Sapnap. Hot and cold, they even out and balance the scale perfectly. Now take Sapnap off the scale. It’s going to dip down a lot because Dream (who is cold) is still on one side. Let's say you replace Sapnap with 10 blankets. Dream’s side will lift a little bit, but it won’t balance out like it would with Sapnap. Meaning, Dream feels warmer than usual, but not as warm as he would if it was Sapnap. Each thing gives a different amount of warmth, so the scale will be different for each thing. Hope that helps!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3.5k words.

_Most Dangerous Borns Appearance List_

_How to Spot a Dangerous Born_

_By the Royal Born Researcher_

_Note: All markings have a black outline around them, do not mix that up with the color inside the outline. These are some of the borns with the most obvious inhuman attributes._

_Enderborn- greenish-blue markings, pitch black hands and fingers (Halfborns are sometimes born with black fingers, or they can appear for a temporary amount of time when they teleport). The most telling sign is a complete white face mask which can sometimes have a purple end material on it. They usually draw faces on said mask._

_Witherborn- grey markings, empty eye sockets that can sometimes leak wither. Each eye socket will have a single red dot in the middle of them, signifying the magic they use to see._

_Blazeborn- orange markings, reddish-brown vertical burn looking marks on each side of lower torso signifying their internal blaze rods. Their eyes will flash orange when they’re summoning fire._

_Demonborn- red markings, red or white eyes (halfborns look like black wispy clouds, or fog in a sense)._

_Sirenborn- blue markings, normally turquoise or dark blue scaly arms and neck. Sharp teeth and bright blue eyes. (Halfborns lack this, but when they sing they can gain these attributes as well)._

\-----------

The cage is made of marble and it's gilded with gold. The inside is filled with lush pillows and soft fur blankets. The entire thing looks like something out of a painting.

He hates it.

His hands grip the bars of the cage, and he forces his eyes to look away from his wrists, which are cuffed and chained together. The enchantments on these ones aren't the same to the ones on the net- he wasn't weak and feeble, he just felt wrong. Human, almost. His strength and endurance was gone, and his pearl laid dormant inside him. He also felt a bit more passive, and distantly he knew he should be kicking and screaming but he could do none of that.

Well, the hunters were set for life now. Sapnap and George had followed the knights to the castle while Bad stayed back, still invisible. Both Sapnap and George looked like they were about to argue when the king thanked them for catching him, but Dream cut them off. Saying something at that point wouldn't help anyone. The only thing it would do is keep the two hunters in metaphorical chains too. At least they were free now- Sapnap, as anguished as he may feel, was alive and they had enough money to find a curse breaker for that stinking cat, Ant. And the king had a new show thing, so _good for him._

Because that’s what he was now- an exotic bird stuck in a cage. The ‘last of his kind’, locked up so the king can “protect him” and “keep him from getting hurt” like he was fucking faulty. It satisfied the other kingdoms though, and now the king had a new ‘pet’ to show off, the same you would with an expensive necklace that only you had. He hated it.

Dream sat back, trying to control his breathing. The chains made him passive, but they didn't control his fear. His markings pulsed angrily- he had been forced to change out of his normal clothes and into something that showed off his physical differences. His gloves had been taken, too, and he felt exposed. He still had his mask, which was all that really mattered.

It wasn't too bad so far, but he had only been there for a bit less than a day, so he couldn't really count on it continuing. Nobles of every age came up to gape and chitter at him, asking him questions and sticking their hands in the bars, trying to touch him. They all wore gloves to stop his coldness and his cage was next to the throne, open on all sides, so all he could do was curl up in the middle and hope none of them had long enough arms.

(And he knew it wasn't just him that got this type of treatment, either. The moment Sapnap entered the castle he was forced into similar clothes Dream had on now, like borns were required to show their markings when inside. Sapnap didn't fuss, wearing a resigned expression like he was used to it from his time before hunting. George was glaring behind his goggles.

The terrible thing was nobles didn't seem to have any common decency, or they were all the mental age of 5 year olds. They'd see markings and immediately reach out to touch them, without asking permission. Sapnap had been doused in cold water the moment he arrived, which means the human nobles could trace their hands up and down the markings with no problem whatsoever, even though it was obviously uncomfortable for the Blazeborn. He let them, as if used to it, and Dream's never had such a sudden spike of anger before. He was left alone, because he was the king's and none of the nobles knew how he'd feel about that. At least, when he was out of the cage.

It was awful. Sapnap was a free born and yet he still has to deal with greedy and snobbish humans sticking their fingers where they didn't belong, literally. He couldn't imagine how it felt for Sapnap, since it's obvious that this wasn't the first time it's ever happened.)

He hated all the attention. Did these people forget that he was an _Enderborn?_ His mask was on, secured tightly, but he could feel the eyes burning into his skull, as if _trying to_ **_trigger_ ** _him._ The thing is, he's kind of sure that these chains could hold him if he did go feral, unlike the net from before.

People moved about, chatting and eating- he's pretty sure the king is throwing a five day ball or something, and this is a third day. Lucky him that he just happened to be caught during it. He threw a blanket around his shoulders, searching for warmth while also protecting himself from the _eyes._ The **_Lookers._ **

"Stop that, Enderborn."

The king was a tall but fat man, decked out in all the jewels and gold his grubby little fingers could reach. His face was a flab of skin with another flab sticking out, making his jaw. His dark hair was in a style similar to Wilbur's, which disgusted him to no end. Dream glared behind the mask, but slowly released the blanket. It did no good aggravating him. At least, that's what he told himself.

He refused to acknowledge that he was already giving up.

_All of it, for nothing…_

The nobles nearby murmured excitingly- it was the first time all night he had actually responded to someone. The eyes seemed to increase, and he squirmed. They burned, and once again, like with the hunter before, _he didn't like the warmth._ "Good Dream. Hmm, Dream, what an odd name. It’s Ender, yes? What does it mean?"

Dream knew he was doing this just to show off his new _toy,_ his _pet,_ he could hear the smugness in his tone, could see the smirk on his lips. It felt like the king was teasing him, mocking him. Trying to show that he was better, and that Dream was beneath him. **_"Blessed survivor._ ** It means Blessed Survivor."

The crowd gathered closer, intrigued by the foreign language. More people joined in. The king's smirk widened, and Dream didn't know how Techno did it. He didn't know how the prince could watch and listen to the unfit king (who’s father ordered the _killing of his entire species-)_ without maiming the fat pig. "Ah, so you know Ender? Say something else for us, born."

 **_"I hope you suffocate on that fifth serving of pie._ ** It's a saying from the Endermen."

The king blinked. "They have a language? They're smart enough for that?"

Dream almost lost his cool right then and there. Who does he think made the language in the first place?! "They are thousands of years old. They're wiser than every person in this room."

He didn't like that.

The king clenched his fingers against his throne. "I heard you were an excellent fighter. Is that true?"

He doesn't know how he heard, most likely from one of the old hunters he sent packing. Before he lost his axe, he was quite good with it. The question made him wary. "I'm okay."

"Well, let's hope you're better than 'okay'" He flicked a crumb off his shirt. "Because I've summoned my champion. He'll be here tomorrow, and while he was going to battle a wyvern this seems _much more fun."_

The king’s having him fight? Isn’t that a bit redundant? He spent so much money getting Dream, and now he was risking it all by throwing him out into a fighting arena? Was the king stupid, or did he not care about flaunting Dream around? Did he do all of this just to see him fight? Probably not but why? He knew the king’s fights were always ones to the death, so either Dream would die or the king’s champion would.

His champion? That was Techno, wasn't it? Oh no.

That could be really good, or really bad, depending. He could help him break out, or Dream would be forced to fight him. He flinched away from a particularly long arm, jumping when a hand wrapped around his bicep and pulled him to the bars of the cage. Immediately hands were all over him, tracing his markings and digging into his hair as if expecting it to be something else. He thrashed, fear closing around his throat, and a few hands came to his mask.

_The brunette hunter grabbing his mask, hand brushing against the side of his face warm no don't want it no no no-_

He opened his mouth to scream, to shout, to yell Ender, to do _something,_ but the king spoke first. _"Did I_ **_say_ ** _you could touch it?!"_

Almost immediately the hands moved, and Dream dove back into the middle, shaking violently. He dug into the blankets, burying himself in them until all he could feel was fur and pillows and heat. His arms and face buzzed and itched and stung from the contact. Screw the king, he was _not_ coming back out. His touch aversion was getting worse.

 _"When have I ever allowed you to touch my things?!"_ The king was still shouting, and Dream curled up more, body strangely cold for how warm the blankets were. It was like the heat wouldn't transfer over. He was getting goosebumps. _"You are in_ **_my_ ** _court, don't forget your place!"_

The burning eyes turned off of him as nobles scattered. The king didn't bother him, and Dream held back a sob, wishing he had more blankets to either hide himself or suffocate in. He _couldn't do this,_ he was already falling apart.

How had Sapnap done it? While it was obvious he hated every second of it, he hadn't panicked and ran like Dream did. He wondered how the man was still as affectionate as he was, after being practically _molested_ day in and day out for probably years on end. He was a Blazeborn, did that mean they were always soaking him in water? He wondered how _any_ of the borns unlucky enough to be 'pets' manage to deal with it.

He's never wished more for George and Sapnap and Bad. He'd rather run away from them for all eternity then spend another hour here.

He fell asleep at some point, and when he woke up it was morning. The throne room also held a large long table that was put together for breakfast and then taken apart after. Right now it was together, and nobles filled all of the seats, at least 200 all together. They chatted amicably among each other, and the king had pushed his throne forward to eat with them.

That meant that Dream's cage was behind him.

He got up slowly, trying to keep attention away from him. Outside of his cage sat a plate of steaming food- some bread and a slice of meat. Compared to what the humans were eating it was trash, but Dream rarely ever gets hot meals while running, so he's not complaining. He has to finagle the chains a bit so he can get a hand through to reach the food, pulling it back and scooching back to the middle of the cage. He sets the plate on his lap and picks up the meat, fitting the entire slice in his mouth easily. 

It wasn't much, but at least it was something.

By the time he finished the nobles were already up and about. Some had come back to his cage, whispering and murmuring excitedly.

"I wonder what it looks like-"

"I wonder what it's _pearl_ looks like-"

"What do those markings mean-"

"Think he'll beat the king's champion-"

He zoned out, tempted to throw the empty plate at them. He probably would, if not for the passive enchantment on the chains. At least there were significantly less people, and while their eyes still burned it didn't make the feral part of him reach out as much as it did yesterday.

While the ball was still ongoing, it was apparently mostly an evening affair, and when breakfast officially ended everyone left, including the king. He had meetings or something, so for an hour or two he was all alone, his only company being the silent guards lining the walls.

Well, if he had nothing to entertain him, he could make something up. 

He knew the Ender language could sound many different ways depending on how you talked. Creepy was very easy to do, and since the guards didn't know the language it'd be easy to freak them out. Dream hummed softly, swaying back and forth as he got louder and louder. Once he was sure he had their attention, even though they didn't look, he started singing in Ender, voice low and dark and eerie.

In reality, the song was a lullaby about dragons counting chorus fruit. To the guards, though, he might very well have been summoning satan.

It was slow, at first. A single guard shifted, uncomfortable, and Dream hid his smirk, singing louder. There was a thump on the glass outside, and several guards jumped. Everyone's eyes were on him now, but he didn't care, because _this was fun!_

When he got to 20 chorus fruit, he snapped the next number, and the guards he was facing visibly recoiled. None of them spoke- Dream thought they probably weren't allowed to, but it was obvious that they were all scared out of their minds.

He got to 50 chorus fruit before the door swung open and the king came back, waddling on his flabby legs up to his throne, which had been pushed back. The breakfast table was also gone. "You can send them in."

He sighed, bored now that he couldn't creep out the guards. The king was now answering the villager’s pleads, and Dream wondered why they bothered- the king never helped them out. A destroyed grainery? Plant more crops! A flooded town? Build somewhere else! A burning forest? The rain will get it! He doesn't know why they try.

The king made small talk with him whenever they were between people. If it could even count as small talk. The king told him to do something, and he did it. He spoke Ender, answered questions, pulled out his claws, and hung on the top of the cage. He felt like an exhibit- like a showbird trapped in a cage.

That's exactly what he was.

After a point the king grew tired of pretending to help and called the whole thing off for the day. "We have to prepare for the fourth night!" He said in explanation. "It'll do no good if our challenger isn't prepared."

He had almost forgotten. He was supposed to fight Techno. Guards appeared by his cage, opening it and pulling him out. He didn't bother struggling as they walked him through a maze of corridors. It ended in a strange outside courtyard, that probably used to be just a normal courtyard but now looked like a gladiator ring. Dream couldn't get a good look, as he was pushed to a side room.

The king followed him in. His voice sounded intrigued when he next spoke, as if he wasn't about to send someone to go fight to the death. "I assume you know what weapon you'll use? Warning, if you chose an axe, you can't take a shield."

Dream didn't really care, because he wasn't going to use whatever weapon he got. Might as well, he guessed. "Axe."

The king hummed. "I'll be back in half an hour. Make the show good, or there will be punishments."

Screw the punishments.

The king left, and Dream sighed, backing away from the guards by the doors and sitting down in the corner. Something felt very off, and he had a foreboding feeling. Why would the king risk his new pet? Yeah, Enderborns are powerful, but he wouldn't do so much to get one just to let his champion kill it. Something was going to happen, and he was worried.

Time passed in a blur. He could hear nobles and other high citizens start packing into the arena to watch. He wondered if Techno was in a room like this one. It probably wasn't guarded, they trusted him. Did he know who he was fighting?

Soon the king came back in, hands around an iron axe, lined in diamond. He didn't know how effective that was, but he didn't care to ask. He wouldn't be using it, unless it was on the king or one of the guards. "Try not to get mauled, Enderborn."

His voice was so mocking, Dream hated it. He took the axe, running a finger along the blade.

He was _so tempted_ to cleave the king's head off, but the passive enchantment went against him there.

The king smiled at him, looking like he knew something Dream didn't. That feeling settled in his stomach again. "Enjoy yourself tonight."

What… what did _that_ mean?

The king left, and he was left alone for a few more minutes before the door opened and he was pushed out. The arena was full of people, and guards lined the courtyard. Escaping was a no go, then. Techno stood in the ring, and when they caught eyes he sighed, like his worst fear had just come true.

The crowd roared as he walked into the ring and the guards took off his chains. Techno didn't come any closer. He guessed someone had to start the match first. "I had heard that you were here, but I didn't want to believe it." The Witherborn admitted. "The others are here, too."

Dream froze, eyes scanning the crowd. He found Wilbur and Tommy in the front, the former holding back the latter. Tubbo was next to them, leaning as far forward as possible. They were the ones closest to the action, and Dream wondered if the king did that on purpose.

He caught the Halfborn's eye and nodded, trying to show that he was okay. Tubbo looked like they were on the edge of a breakdown, and he hates that he's the reason for it. "Why?"

"I didn't want to leave them in Pogtopia alone." He said softly, but it didn't matter- everyone ignored them, waiting for the announcer to finish yapping on. "The king always orders me to bring at least one family member, anyway. Niki's at a nearby inn. She... didn't want to see this."

Dream looked at his blade again, and he could see himself in his reflection. Distantly, he heard the announcer tell them to start fighting. He looked at Techno. "From one born to another, fuck this."

He threw his axe on the ground.

Techno held back a snort, but Dream could see his grin. He dropped his own shield and sword. "Nah."

"Wha- _nah?"_ The king bellowed, pudgy face red and _wow that was funny._ "You can't just _choose_ who to fight!"

"I'm not fighting the last of a species." Techno crossed his arms, even though he knew the other Enderborns were in the end. Dream had told him, at some point. His wording was ironic, anyway. "And I was promised a wyvern."

The king glared. He nodded to the guards. "You know there will be consequences for this."

Dream heard Tommy shout, and turned to see two guards grabbing his arms and pulling him forward. Wilbur yelled, trying to stop them, but he was shoved back, hitting the benches hard and falling over. The guards threw the boy into the ring, and Techno caught him before he could hurt himself. His posture was calm, and his face was hidden, but Dream _knew_ Techno was pissed. "We had a _deal!"_

"Oh, don't worry." The king smirked, cackling. " _I_ won't hurt your precious brother. He will."

The king pointed at him, and he almost snorted. As if, the king really thinks he would attack a child? 

Suddenly, the announcer was speaking again, bringing up something about glasses, and everyone started taking out tinted goggles. What? What were those for?

Before he could wonder more on it, someone pushed him to the ground, pinning him with his arms behind his back. He shouted, struggling, but the guards holding him down had him good.

He felt the tie for his mask become undone.

He suddenly understood.

"No!" He jerked more, trying to get away, but a guard pressed his head to the floor. His words changed to Ender half way through. "No! _No no_ **_no NO!"_**

_The Endermen and their gaping maws. His sister tearing off a piece of the hunter's throat with her teeth._

Techno stepped forward, confused. He couldn't see what they were doing, and it was too late anyway. His mask was ripped away, and he squeezed his eyes shut. His hair was grabbed roughly, head snapped back. The pain made his eyes water, and he blinked on accident, opening his eyes for a moment.

The guard in front of them had moved, letting both Techno and Tommy see his maskless face. He met Tommy's wide eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to write a story using this world or draw fanart or anything like that I fully support it and I’d love to see it! If you do, comment the name of the work or a link to the fanart or something- I read all my comments and I’ll either respond or put it in the next chapter notes, depending on how you feel about it. I'm adding a little bit to the beginning of this chapter that explains appearances for that reason. I don’t have any social media accounts but if someone posts fanart of this on tumblr I swear I will make an account just for this story... should I do that? How does tumblr work anyway?


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't expecting the amount of emotion in the comments, ty for enjoying this so much <3  
> To all those people who wanted him to go feral, I hope you’re happy lol. Also I've never written emotional breakdowns before- they're both fun and very draining lol. Sorry that it's kind of short.  
> 2k Words.

**_DON'T LOOK AT ME!_ **

He snarled, jaw unhinging as he threw the guards off of him. One hit the bleachers, but the other hit the side of the ring hard. His helmet came off and he caught Dream's eye.

**_DON'T LOOK AT ME!_ **

The Enderborn yelled and grabbed his arm, yanking it out of his socket before tearing it off. The man had a moment to cry before Dream did the same to his head, nails clawing into his eyes. Distantly, he could hear cheering, but _no_ **_that didn't matter the other Looker was looking he shouldn't look don't look at me DON'T LOOK AT ME-_ **

Clothing he's pretty sure he hated ripped as two thin clawed black arms grew from his back, rising above him and ready to strike. Dream's markings flared, and his fingers grew claws, black skin crawling up his arms all the way to his neck, stretching and reaching until it covered half his face, overlapping one of his blazing green eyes.

He screamed, but it sounded more like a roar.

**_It was still LOOKING AT HIM!_ **

The **_creature_ ** _(child, it was a child-)_ stared at him **_stared at him_ ** and the Witherborn next to him stepped in front, cutting off his view but **_it had looked it had seen no human could see STOP LOOKING-_ **

"Dream-" He ignored the Witherborn, darting forward. Faster than the crowd could watch he tossed the born to the side, black spindly arms wrapping around the **_creature's_ ** _(child Dream come on he's a child-)_ neck. There was a choked gasp, and he heard cheering and shouting and screaming but **_he had looked_ ** _no no no stop-_

A sword flashed, and he screamed, his extra arms suddenly no longer connected to his body. The Witherborn was **_protecting the creature_ ** _it's Tommy_ **_he's helping the Looker_ ** _please stop-_ **_he knows the rules_ ** _these are our friends_ **_DON'T LOOK AT ME-_ **

His arms grew back, and he turned towards the Witherborn, because he was **_protecting the Looker_ ** _his brother_ and he needed to go. He went to grab him, planning to bite his head off and just be done with it, but the Witherborn rolled out of the way, stabbing his sword into his foot and **_helping the Looker._ ** He screeched, grabbing for the sword but the Witherborn was there, looking torn but determined _he's our friend_ **_he helped the Looker_ ** _STOP!_

People were shouting, **_Lookers_ ** were shouting but when Dream looked at them they didn't look back so Dream ignored them, turning back to the Witherborn. First him, then the **_Looker_ ** _Tommy Tommy Tommy._ He dives for the Witherborn _Techno-_ with a screech, hitting him around the middle. The crowd roars as they hit the ground, and his extra arms come up to grab his head, to pull it off his neck, but then there's a shield blocking his view and he yells in frustration. **_Just let him kill the Looker!_ **

"Dream, come on-" The Witherborn mumbles before Dream is on him, pushing the shield away with his strength and grabbing his neck with his two actual hands. His claws dig in and the Witherborn chokes, sword swinging up to cut him before stopping **_the Witherborn is giving up_ ** _those are our real hands_ **_he can't fight anymore_ ** _we can't grow those back_ **_kill him_ ** _no_ **_get Looker_ ** _NO!_

He screams, throwing himself off of the still alive Witherborn and instead running for the **_Looker._** While he doesn't understand why, his target was the **_Looker_** _Tommy please_ he's was the one who **_looked_** _run_ he was the one who **_looked_** _no_ **_he was the one who LOOKED-_**

The **_Looker_** screamed, running for the bleachers but Dream caught his foot, tripping him and pulling him to the ground **_kill kill kill_** _no no no-_ the thing was crying, blue eyes wide in panic and **_still looking_** _you're scaring him_ **_stop looking_** _he's terrified_ ** _STOP LOOKING_** _GET AWAY FROM HIM-_

Then a voice called out through the crowd, and he turned to see one of his own kind _our brother, remember-_ staring at him with big sad eyes and **_child protect child-_ ** "Dream, please-"

He tilted his head, **_Looker_** forgotten as he takes a step towards him, needing to **_protect._** The **_child_** _Tubbo_ was wearing the tinted glasses **_stops the Lookers_** _please listen to him-_ but he knew they didn't need them. Why were they wearing them?

 **_"The Lookers, child."_ ** He croaked, trying to warn them. The **_child_ ** didn't respond, and he looked fearful, and **_protect protect protect_ ** he tried again. **_"The Lookers are everywhere, child. They cannot see me, they cannot see us, they have to STOP LOOKING-"_ **

"Dream, t-that's, that's Tommy." **_The child was worried for the Looker he doesn't understand-_ ** "Please, snap out of it."

He stared at the **_child_** _Tubbo_ who was crying ** _fix it protect child-_** and he felt lost. B-but, but, but the **_Looker_** _Tommy,_ ** _the Looker saw his face_** _HIS NAME IS TOMMY!_

"Sorry, Dream." He heard a voice behind him, the **_Witherborn he should've killed_ ** _shut up_ **_he stopped them_ ** _I hate you_ and pain suddenly shot like starbursts in the back of his head. Everything was gone in a second.

  
  


He woke up with his mask back on in the gilded cage. His back is sore, he's in different clothes, and his head hurts.

What happened?

He looks around the dark empty room, mind trying to reconnect the dots. Where was everyone? He remembers seeing Tubbo and Techno and Tommy-

**_DON'T LOOK AT ME-_ **

He jolts, memories coming back to him. That’s what the king wanted, wasn’t it? He wanted to see him go feral, he wanted him to- _Oh god,_ he… he tried to _kill_ Tommy.

_His little sister, tearing the hunter to shreds at just five years old. Those Endermen, biting that hunter in half. Dead eyes staring back at him._

And now he had almost done the same thing.

Something deep within him broke.

A sob tore through his throat, and he curled in on himself, bringing his knees up to his chest and rocking back and forth. He almost _killed_ Tommy. Almost killed him in front of his _family._ Almost killed him in front of _Tubbo._ _He_ was _never_ getting out of here. He didn't _deserve_ to get out of here.

_He's never been so cold._

He jerked, hands spazzing out to grab blankets and throw them over himself, trying to feel warmer, but _it wasn't_ ** _working_** _he just felt_ ** _colder_** **_the Looker he saw his face-_**

He screamed, slamming his hands over his face. They hit the mask, and he wanted to tear it off and **_find the Looker_ ** but also never take it off again _stay away from Tommy-_ tears fell down his face as his breathing picked up. 

_He was so cold._

His heart started to pound loud loud loud **_to loud_ ** _it's so loud-_ and he grabbed at his ears, missing and instead pulling at his hair **_shut up_ ** _shut up_ **_shut up-_ ** he was sweating and panting and breathing was hard **_I can't breathe_ ** _I can't breathe_ **_we can't breathe-_ **

A hand touched his knee. He jerked back, head snapping up.

**_Tubbo._ **

"Dream." Tubbo's voice cracked, his eyes filled with tears, and suddenly the boy was jumping at him, grabbing him around the middle. Dream froze, he didn't know what to do because _Tubbo should hate him_ **_we protected him from the Looker_ ** _we tried to KILL Tommy-_

"I'm sorry." Is what came out in a dry, harsh, sob. He tried to take a breath, but he coughed and hiccupped and his lungs weren’t filling correctly  **_breathe-_ ** "I'm sorry **_I'm sorry I'm sorry I’m sorry-"_ **

"Please calm down." Somehow, he got closer to him. Dream took the command as gospel, clamping his mouth shut. That, surprisingly, helped, cutting his breathing cycle and restarting it. He took a deep, gasping breath. "I couldn't, **_you spoke fast, you spoke too fast."_ **

Dream tilted his head, hiding his face in Tubbo's hair. **_"I'm so sorry."_ **

"Tommy's fine, Dream." Tubbo said quickly and Dream's heart sped because **_Looker was dangerous_** _Tommy's alive_ ** _Looker cannot look at HIM-_** "It's, uh, **_it's not your- uh, fault. He shouldn't have Looker- looked."_**

Dream frowned, two different sides raging inside of him. His breathing evened out, and his tears started to slow as confusion took hold because **_Looker didn't mean to look_** _well duh it's Tommy he's an idiot_ ** _Looker was an accident but he still saw_** _Tommy is a child_ ** _Looker is a_** ** _child._** **_"Looker, Tommy, it was an accident?"_**

Tubbo nodded, and something inside of him seemed to rebuild itself, because **_it was an accident, the child made a mistake._** **_"He should've looked away, but he was in shock. He asked me to apologize for him."_ **

**_The Looker apologized_ ** _Tommy was safe_ **_he wasn't dangerous_ ** _everyone is safe_ **_they weren’t needed anymore._ **

Dream released a breath he didn't know he was holding. Slowly, he started to warm up. He hugged Tubbo back. "Thank you."

He was still crying, though not of his own accord. Tubbo frowned, seeing the drops of water fall off his chin. The Halfborn, with slow and cautious hands, touched the sides of Dream’s mask silently, an Enderborn gesture in asking if he could take it off.

He barely suppressed a flinch. Tubbo sat there patiently, waiting until Dream nodded before taking off his mask. In the dark of the room, he knew the boy was surprised to see his eyes glowing. After effects, most likely. Of...

He shivered.

A soft blanket brushed over his face, courtesy of Tubbo, and he took it, wiping off the rest of his wet face. Taking a deep, shuddery breath, he exhaled, slumping. His mask sat in his hands, which laid limp on the floor. He stared at it, mind blank.

This was pathetic. Tubbo had to calm him down and take care of him when _he_ was the older one, the one supposed to protect _Tubbo_ from everything. But here he was- he couldn't do anything. He couldn't stop the guards from taking his mask, couldn't stop the hunters from capturing him, couldn't stop himself from trying to kill Tommy-

He's pathetic.

“Everyone’s safe.” Tubbo promised again, resting his forehead against the Ender’s. Dream leaned into it, enjoying the comfort. “I wasn’t scared of you.”

What? “Huh?”

Tubbo pulled back, concern crossing his features. “I thought you might think that I was scared of you now, or something. I wasn’t, I wasn’t scared of you. I was scared _for_ Tommy, but not of you.”

Bless this child, he somehow always knew the right thing to say.

Dream kissed his forehead, bringing him in close again. “Thanks, Tubbo.” He ruffled the kid’s hair. He really meant it.

Tubbo pulled a blanket over both of them. He wonders if he could feel how cold he was. "The king is forcing us to leave in the morning," He murmured. "I barely had time to sneak in here. We can't get you out now, but we'll be back."

"No." He pulled away enough to look at his face. "Focus on L'Manburg right now. I'll be fine. Besides, if you get me out but we don't have a safe place to go to, then it's all for nothing."

Tubbo frowned. "The others won't like that…"

"Tell Techno first." He said. "He'll help you convince the others. He gets it."

"But-" Tubbo looked stubbornly determined. "You shouldn't be here any longer than need be. They took off your mask, Dream!"

"I'll be fine." For once, he wasn't lying. He would be fine, he'd make sure of it. "Promise."

He was getting out of here. He'll make sure of that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The two 'voices' in his head will be explained later... maybe.  
> So I did it. I made a tumblr account under the name of SilverWolfCub. I'm probably going to leave it alone for the most part, but if you have questions or fanart or fics or something to do with any of my stories that require more than what a comment can give you message me over there and we can talk more.  
> Also if anyone wants to draw feral Dream and wants more descriptive info hmu I'll help you out with that. I remember the old mutant Endermen mod had extra arms which is why I gave him extra arms btw.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha I feel like a warning of some type is needed. Dissection. Kinda. Just, like, watch out? I guess?  
> 2k words.

Things start changing around the throne room as Dream summons his inner little shit and starts causing trouble. He cusses at people who come to gawk at him, smashes his food plates and throws the shards at nobles, and refuses to answer the king. When he did, he would only speak in Ender, and the king could tell he was insulting him, not answering his questions or commands.

Dream, personally, is loving it. It was a lot easier to stay calm when you just stopped caring. He'd get out of here, he knew he would, so why not annoying everyone while waiting?

At first the king just shouted, banging on the bars of his cage as Dream stuck his tongue out at him from inside. Then, as Dream continued the king ordered his guards to push him around. Once every few hours, whenever he really riled the king up, he'd order his guards to go beat him bloody, before bringing in a cleric to force feed healing potions down his throat. It hurt like hell but hey, no permanent damage done and he loved seeing anger on that pig's face.

He tried to make him kill Tommy. He's lucky he's not doing  _ far _ worse.

He decided to try a more subtle approach, waiting until the king was alone in the throne room before humming a tune. It was the same tune he used to freak out the guards earlier, and they seemed to remember.

He started singing louder, letting his voice carry across the room. The king glanced at him but ignored it, reading through some papers. He frowned as he sang, tilting the tone of his voice to something soft before snapping out in Ender, startling everyone in the room.

This was fun.

The king looked wary now, staring at him like the others, as if he was summoning a demon. Dream debated jumping around and acting possessed, and instead just twisted his head sharply, twitching and spasming like something was wrong, all while still singing.

The king looked his way, concerned and slightly scared. He froze, voice going low enough that the king leaned in to hear.

He raised his voice, stomping his feet on the ground, and the king was pale, shaken and he was  _ really _ enjoying himself now. A thought came to mind, and he turned his head slowly, making sure he had the king's full attention.

Slowly, he brought his hand up to his mask, as if going to move it while looking the king in the eyes.

_ "Guards!" _ The king screeched, and immediately he was surrounded by protection. A few guards threw open his cage and dragged him out, throwing him on the ground. He laughed, not bothering to get up. "How  _ dare _ you!"

"Not so funny when you're on the receiving end, huh?" Dream cackled, enjoying himself too much. He may have pushed it too far, but who cares? This is the most fun he's had  _ all year! _

"That's it!" The king bellowed, and Dream paused. He had gone too far. "I'm done! I'm sick and tired of this! Screw the pact, I want him gone!"

Dream sat up, glancing at the guards circling him. That didn't sound good. "Does this mean I'm good to leave?"

He knew he was too hopeful. It was squashed the moment the king looked at him, eyes full of hatred. "Go take out it's pearl and dispose the body."

He's never gone from carefree joy to terrifying distress so quickly.

Hands grab his arms, dragging him out of the room. He struggles, thrashing, but he still has on the chains and he's no match for the guards. He shouts something, either begging or cursing the king, but that doesn't matter because  _ he told Tubbo that he'd be fine he has to get out- _

He's taken to a room and pushed onto a metal table, chains wrapped around a pole above him that made him have to reach up and stay that way. He jerks about, but the guards produce more regular chains, tying down his ankles before wrapping a chain around his waist, securing it to the table.

Ok, this was bad. Really bad.

He yanked at the chains around his arms, growling, but they didn't budge. Again, his breathing picked up, but this time he forced himself to calm. He couldn't lose focus, because an opening could be coming up and he had to take it, no matter what.

_ He'd die if he didn't. _

There was a few minutes of tense quiet- him focusing on keeping calm and the guards waiting for something or someone. Finally, a man with a small knife and a mask appeared, barking orders in a rough accent Dream didn't understand. The guards moved quickly, shifting around as some pulled at Dream's hoodie and sweater, pulling it up past his head until it bunched up just past his shoulders. The new man, a doctor, surgeon,  _ something, _ pointed at his sternum.

Where his pearl rested.

In human bodies, the sternum connected to the ribs in the front of the person's chest. Underneath that would be the lungs, heart, ect. An Enderborn's body was the same way, with just one key difference.

Their pearls were embedded  _ in _ the sternum- a carved out place that securely held the pearl, making sure it didn't dislodge or move during teleporting or physical activities. To get to it, you'd have to either cut out the sternum or carve out the pearl, and while he didn't know what the man was doing he  _ did _ know they weren't going to put him to sleep to do it.

The man produced a marker, putting a dot right in the center of his chest. He squirmed, and the guards held him still as the man took back out the knife and made two quick cuts, perpendicular to each other.

He _ screamed. _

While there wasn't much skin and fat there to begin with, cutting so close to his pearl was  _ agony. _ He thrashed, bucking off of the table as he yelled, begging for them to stop. He might've been speaking Ender for all he knows, with how they were looking at him. He doesn't _ care, _ just make it  _ stop- _

Another incision, and he can feel blood running down his chest, pooling at the base of his neck and splitting off into rivlets down his throat. Sweat was rolling down his face- he  _ never _ sweats. He whimpered, groaning at the pain  _ why him why him why him? _

Something changed in his head. Humans. _It was always_ _because of humans._

There's a pause, and Dream tries to breathe, to think of a plan, but then something is  _ pulling the skin apart _ and while it's not as bad it's still  _ terrible _ and he lets out a gasping sob. He blinks, eyes unknowingly going to the wound.

His pearl.  _ He could see it. _

It was mainly silver, with soft green highlights running through it. It's center was dark, almost black, like an actual eye looking at them. The edges of the pearl were hidden by his sternum, and even though he was terrified he couldn't help but be amazed by it's beauty.

Then the man brought his knife in again and he jerked away, something primal taking over because  _ no, stay away  _ **_my_ ** _ pearl  _ **_my_ ** _ pearl  _ **_don't look at it-_ **

_ They’re greedy and sadistic- fuck humans, kill them all. Kill them all kill them all killthemallkillthemall- _

The man placed the knife on the bone, and Dream could  _ feel _ it in a way that made him shiver. He growled, everything in him telling him to  **_stop him!_ ** He jerked away again.

His movement caused the man's knife to move, slicing into his pearl.

He saw white.

Screaming, cold overtakes his entire body like he’s frozen solid and his gut jumps, making him almost throw up. When his vision comes back and he can think anything besides  _ pain agony  _ **_no-_ ** he realizes he's suddenly elsewhere, and when his vision completely clears he sees that he's in an empty corridor in the castle. He pauses, confused. Did he teleport? But he was wearing enchanted chains (emphasis on  _ was _ ) how did it..?

He pushed the thought away, focusing on escaping. Stumbling forward, he forced his sweater and hoodie back on completely. It  _ hurts, _ like a hundred hot pokers jabbing at his chest, but he ignores it, placing a hand over the incision and applying pressure. If his hands weren’t normally black he’s pretty sure they would still be black from frostbite, with how cold his chest is.

He needed a healing potion.

The good thing about the king healing him after every beating was that he still had some in his system. While it wouldn't fix the problem, hopefully it would stem the bleeding until he found a better solution. Hopefully.

_ Humans were the cause of all his pain _

_ He hates them. _

He took a step forward before crying out, the jarring movement feeling like an ox kicking his chest. He manages to catch himself before he falls, inching forward.

_ He needed to get out. _

His legs buckle against his control, and he falls to the ground, the jolting motion making him bite back a scream. The pain- he'd rather let them just finish him off instead of deal with this anymore it  _ hurt so much-! _

Dream blinked, and the brunette hunter's head was back in front of him, eyes dull and dead but they were  _ following him _ now, as if they could see him in a way they couldn't before.

_ He was dying. _

His mind fogged, his grip on reality slipping until he forgot the outside world. He was dying, he was almost dead and he'd be stuck with those three hunters for the rest of eternity, their angry revenge cold and cruel. He could already feel the brunette hunter's hands, pulling off his mask before exploring the rest of his body, no matter how much he struggled. The other hunters watched, kicking and throwing things and trapping him until he suffocated under hundreds of nets-

His body locked up, his eyes focused on the decapitated head in front of him. Instead of anger, though, he saw annoyance. And pity.  _ 'You got me killed just to die lying in some random hallway?' _ she seemed to say, and Dream blinked, unbelieving.  _ 'You're giving up? What about your promise?' _

It… it  _ hurts, _ he can't- he can't  _ move, _ can't get up, all he feels is  _ pain- _

He swore he heard laughing, even though the decapitated head didn't move.  _ 'Suck it up. You're so ready to face us in the afterlife that you've already given up here. You'll die with a broken promise. You'll die never having apologized to Tommy. You'll die cold. It's freezing in hell, you know.' _

He didn't… he didn't want to die. He wanted to  _ live,  _ wanted to push past the  _ pain _ but how he can't even get up it was all too much. What could he even do? He was stuck with nowhere to go. He's trapped.

_ 'You've gotten out of impossible situations before. The hunters by the river? The time you ran almost all day to get away from them? Do what you do best' the head explained. "Run, boy-' _ the hunter's dead eyes locked with his, and he swore he saw the thing grin.  _ '-Run.' _

Dream pressed his hands against the floor, gritting his teeth and pushing himself up. The head on the floor seemed to laugh again, almost cheering as he stood and leaned against the wall, taking a shaky step forward. The dead hunter head vanished as Dream moved forward, as if it was never there.

He made it a few more feet before he buckled again. He swore, catching himself and getting back up, because he  _ needed _ to get out of here. Dream had a promise to keep, an apology to make. He couldn't die here,  _ wouldn't _ die here-

_ He wouldn't let the humans win. _

Suddenly there were arms around his waist, and he shouted, fighting immediately. Then he realized the arms were hot,  _ warm, _ and was it really..?

The guy moved his hands, murmuring something quietly that Dream couldn't hear. In a quick motion he swept Dream up, carrying him. He almost bit his tongue off from the pain, trying to hide his cry, but he needed to know-

He forced his eyes open. Sapnap grinned back at him, eyes glancing up to watch where they were running to. "Hey, Ice Queen."

He could cry right then and there. "S-Sap-"

The Blazeborn shushed him, and he obliged, keeping a hand pressed against his chest, which had already bled through his sweater and hoodie. Sapnap stared at it, worried. He knew what sat there. "Is it okay? Nod yes or no."

Dream tilted his head up, and then let it fall down onto the born's chest, utterly exhausted. It was damaged,  _ and it hurt (so cold-) _ but pearls didn't break easily. It would heal, eventually. Sapnap hummed, the sound like the crackling embers of a fire, and he was  _ so warm, _ he could go to sleep and never wake up and he'd be okay with it because _ he was warm. _

A few more steps and they were outside. Dream barely noticed, out of it. Where were they going? They were leaving, where was he-? Where was he taking him..? They were, they were- they were on the same side, right? Team 'Fuck the King'.

Sapnap must've noticed his internal struggles. "Go to sleep, Cold. Sweet dreams."

He was warm. So warm that the pain had faded, along with most of his consciousness. He decided to listen for once, shutting his eyes and turning it all off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Techno made his chat canon POG! He's the main person I watch anyway (for streams cause Youtube FTW) and I've read a few fics where he has voices in his head and it's a cool concept so yay!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should've expected all the 'roll credits!' I was going to get by adding the story title last chapter XD. Also why'd I make this so long? I wanted to make this important but it's also literally the OVA/recovery/filler/beach episode wtf???  
> 4k words.

He wakes up with a cat laying on his stomach. 

He can tell it’s Ant since it’s just looking at him, head tilted. It wasn’t purring or asking for food, just watching him like a human might.

That’s when he realized that he wasn’t in pain.

He sat up, hand going over his chest. It was wrapped in bandages, but it was also completely healed- sealed up and painless. He let out a sigh of relief.

“I can’t trust you anywhere.”

His head jerked to the side, and Tubbo was sitting in a chair next to his bed, frowning up at him, as if disappointed. He blanked, because he’s pretty sure this is Bad’s house how was Tubbo-? “What?”

“You promised you’d be fine!” Tubbo glares. “And then when I get here you’re just lying around _so still_ and they said he tried to take your pearl-”

Dream was still on the fact that he was here. “How are you…?”

The boy blinked. “I teleported.” He said, as if that was obvious.

“Tubbo.” Dream added tone to his voice, trying to convey that this was serious. “We are _miles_ away from Pogtopia. How many times did you teleport?”

“Oh.” Tubbo said, sounding small. “Only once.”

Wh- only- hu- once- wha- _huh?!_

The door opened to his room, and the hunters walked in. “Oh good!” Bad scurried up to him. “You’re awake! We didn’t know when you’d wake up, since they had cut your pearl- I healed it with my magic but I wasn’t sure-”

 _"We are so sorry!"_ Sapnap came running in, planting himself on the foot of his bed. He grabbed one of Dream's legs, like he was making sure he was actually there. "We should've, we should've _done_ something! We just let them-"

"Calm down." He was warm from the blankets but his leg was getting warmer, and he felt jealous of it. "It's probably better this way. You guys got what you needed and I'm free, so no harm done?"

Harm definitely done, but he needed to be the bigger man (Ender-) and take the high road. Also, he couldn't stand seeing Sapnap upset- he had a _look_ about him that reminded him too much of Tubbo.

Sapnap just dug his face into the comforter at the end of his bed, and heat started to pool up by his legs. He wiggled his toes. "George is sorry too." He murmured. "He just didn't want to come in. He thinks you don't like him-"

He could hear George hiss from outside the door, and something about the idea of George being embarrassed made him laugh. "I don't hate him. How could I ever hate a face like that?" 

He could hear the human sputter outside the door, and amusement flashed through him. "Dream!"

_Humans were the real monsters._

Well, most of them. The others, though-

Sapnap giggled, and Dream held a finger to his lips to silence him. "In fact, it's the opposite. I love him- I mean, who doesn't?"

Again, he could hear noises from outside the door, and he covered his mouth to stop from laughing. Tubbo was grinning, probably still just happy he was awake, and Bad was just as amused. This was fun, actually. He should do this more often. "You love me, right, George?"

"Okay, stop." George stepped into the room, earlier shame completely forgotten. "No I _do not,_ I just- we couldn't- just, _leave you,_ and-"

"I just wanna be loved, Georgie." Dream pouted, and Sapnap shoved his head into a pillow to muffle his cackles.

George frowned. "Go cuddle Sapnap or something."

Good idea. He definitely would, the first chance he gets, because _warmth._ Sapnap seemed to be in the same boat, arms wide like he expected to start immediately. Bad chuckled. "But I want _your_ love, Gogy."

 _"Gogy?!"_ George almost screeched, and Sapnap lost it again, falling back and clutching his stomach in a fit of giggles. _"What's a Gogy?!"_

Tubbo was laughing too, at this point, and Dream's happy he didn't immediately attack everyone when he got here. They were hunters, Tubbo could've thought the worse and stabbed someone. Dream subconsciously ruffled his hair, before remembering. "Wait, Tubbo, how did you-?"

He trailed off, because they didn't know he was an Ender and honestly he'd like to keep the number of those who know pretty low. Before he could change the subject, though, Bad cut in. "His pearl is, like, overly charged. It might be a mutation."

They did know, then. Dream turned to Tubbo, who looked sheepish. "I teleported in front of them…"

Dream stared at him. **_"Tubbo."_ **

"I know!" He cried out, trying to stop the incoming lecture. "I didn't mean to! They were in here and you were unconscious and I didn't know-"

"We won't tell anybody!" Sapnap had stopped laughing, raising peaceful hands. He had changed into a short sleeve shirt, showcasing the black and orange markings that ran along his arms. 

"Our lips are sealed." George confirmed. "But I am confused. Are there more Enders left or-?"

"Not in the overworld." Dream sighed, and Tubbo hopped on the bed, sitting and leaning into him, for Dream's comfort as much as his own. "The capitol said that the last of the Enderborns tried to escape to the end and only a few of them made it, but that was a lie. I saw at least a thousand Enderborns and Ender Halfborns go through the portal before I locked it."

_Before the humans could kill them all, like they always do._

He frowned slightly at the thought.

"That's great!" Bad clapped his hands. "If Enderborns aren't actually super endangered, then maybe Witherborns-"

Dream winced, and Bad trailed off. "The luck ran out with us, Bad."

It wasn't his story to tell, anyway. If they learn about Techno, then it'll be either from Techno himself or his family.

The room was quiet for a moment. Tubbo squirmed. "I hate to be the bearer of more bad news, but Pogtopia could use your help, Dream."

Sapnap tilted his head. "Huh? Isn't that a rebellion trying to take down L'Manburg?"

He shook his head. "A lot's happened in the past week."

They sat at Bad's table, quiet. Apparently, Schlatt and the king made an alliance against Pogtopia- Schlatt for obvious reasons and the king because of Techno's disobedience. Before, they had a chance, but if the king sends his knights? Wilbur and Tommy would be crushed.

"Schlatt tried to turn you in?" Bad asked, waiting for confirmation. "Okay then, I'm in."

Dream blinked, confused. "What?"

"Yeah!" Sapnap stood up, hitting the table with his fist. "No one's allowed to hunt Dream but us!"

Dream snorted, caught off guard and still confused. "What do you mean?"

Bad blinked, as if not understanding his confusion. "You guys need help, right? We'll- or at least I'll help out. L'Manburg's one of the only born havens, we can't let this 'Schlatt' ruin it."

Tubbo beamed, teleporting next to the demon and hugging him. "Thank you thank you thank you!" Bad just laughed.

"We'll help too." George spoke up, fiddling with his goggles. "It's the least we can do."

"We also gotta make sure you don't hurt yourself again." Sapnap added with a cheeky grin, and Dream flipped him off, feeling surprisingly warm even though he was too far away to feel the Blazeborn's heat. A few days ago they were on opposite sides, but now they felt like friends and Dream couldn't be happier for it. 

"Thank you." Dream turned towards Tubbo, who was asking Bad about summoning dead bees. "Did you bring any supplies with you? We're walking back- I don't trust that pearl of yours."

It could've been a fluke, really. His pearl had excess juice in it and he used it all up on one big jump. The mutation made sense, really, since Tubbo was always _suspiciously good_ when it came to teleporting. It could just be a Tubbo thing, those happened quite often.

Tubbo pouted. "Come on!"

"That's probably for the best." Bad agreed softly. "What if you don't get all the way back, and you're stuck somewhere. What if someone sees you?"

That caused him to sulk more. Dream wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Stop pouting. We can go over some more Ender on the way. Bad speaks Demon, you know."

The boy perked right back up. "Really? Awesome!" And then he was pestering the poor Halfborn, asking thousands of questions a minute about it.

He smiled at the sight. He heard laughter and turned to see George chasing Sapnap, who had stolen his goggles and was running around the room. They had important things to do, and here they were messing around.

Dream couldn't blame them. He's never felt this internally warm before.

  
  


He walks around Bad’s little library, glancing at the shelves of books. The others were packing, getting ready to leave but his stuff had been left with the hunters, still packed nice and neat. A dark book catches his eye. He pulls it out, reading the cover.

_“The Most Dangerous Borns in a New Light”, -An Actual Born Researching Borns_

He snorted, both amused and curious. It was obviously a kind of parody on the Most Dangerous Borns list. Some born probably got fed up and wrote it. The list was fairly old (older than him at least), and the book looked old too. It must’ve been made right after the list came out.

He opens it, skimming through the introduction. The writer, an anonymous born, talks about the top ten borns on that list, saying that the book will explain them in more detail, using science and facts instead of fear and propaganda. Dream smiles as he reads, turning the page to find Enderborns, of course, being first.

He reads through it, humming in content, because the born’s _done his research._ It’s all right, everything- how cold they are, their pearls, their black hands and claws and markings, everything. And not only does it get the info right, but it doesn’t say a thing about Enderborn’s hate of water or any weakness a hunter might be able to use against them. 

_Take that, humans._

He continues reading, enjoying himself until he comes to where the born talks about going feral. He frowns but reads through.

He pauses.

Wait, what?

_‘Most humans think there are two parts to an Enderborn- the human part and the Ender part. The human part is the one everyone sees and the Ender part is the feral part. Humans, like they usually are when it comes to borns, are wrong._

_There are actually, in fact, three parts to an Enderborn, none of them being human. The dominant part is the one that is in control for every moment besides when they go feral. When an Enderborn goes feral, they are actually split into two._

_Interestingly enough, this goes against their survival. One of these two feral parts is made to make sure that the person the Enderborn is killing is someone they actually want to kill. For example, if an Enderborn and human love each other and start a family, that human at some point might look that Enderborn in the eyes. In times like these, this feral part can make the Enderborn hesitate enough for the human to get away or, in rare occasions, actually calm the feral Enderborn enough that they are no longer feral. It is more rational and logical._

_While that is neat and helpful, it doesn’t always work, and there are many occasions of an Enderborn killing a human they love. In other instances, if a feral Enderborn is fighting a human and a loved human comes around, the conflicting parts of the feral Enderborn may result in the former human hurting the Enderborn. They’d sacrifice their own safety just to make sure their loved ones are safe._

_Humans, on the other hand, do the exact opposite. And they still love to pretend that they aren’t the monsters._

_That part of the feral Enderborn has very little power compared to the other part of the Enderborn, the Ender part. Just like with Endermen, Enderborn have a hatred of making eye contact with humans. While humans are the only ones that can make them go feral, unlike with Endermen, the feraless is just the same as if it were an Enderman. This part’s only job is to make sure that whatever human has looked at the Enderborn no longer breathes. No matter who the human is. While no one understands why eye contact makes Enders go feral, we all know that doing it is beyond stupid and very dangerous._

_There are also a few accounts of Enderborn, who remember going feral, hearing these two parts arguing. Most Enderborns don’t remember because that part of them goes dormant until whatever made them feral has gone. When they do, though, some can recount two different feelings running through them. When a loved one made them feral, the two feelings clash and fight. When someone dangerous to them makes them feral, the two feelings combine into one, making them more intent on slaughter._

_All in all, Enderborns are much more complex than humans make them out to be. They mimic Endermen almost completely in everything but looks, like most borns do, and it’s important we don’t forget that. Even with that, they are still sentient beings and they deserve to be treated as such, not like the mindless slaughter machines humans love to portray them as._

_Get off your high horse, humans kill more people in a month then an Enderborn would kill in an entire year. Maybe you should fix yourself before you go after mostly peaceful borns. If they go feral on you, you probably did something to cause it, and you probably deserve it.’_

He closes the book, shocked.

Huh.

He puts it in his bag for later.

  
  


“Dream, look!” Tubbo exclaimed, grinning widely and pointing to the trees. “Enderman!”

That had the exact opposite effect on the others compared to Dream. George yelped and dropped to the ground, bringing his goggles up and over his eyes. The others, goggleless, just slapped their hands over their eyes. While Sapnap, being a Blazeborn, could maybe get away with glancing at one, Bad was half human and would probably get attacked if he did.

Tubbo didn’t notice their response, running over to the thicket of trees where he found the enderman. **_“Hello! I’m Tubbo!”_ **

**_“Hi child.”_ ** The enderman stepped into the clearing, lanky legs and arms coiling as he moved. He ruffled Tubbo’s hair before looking around, regarding the hunters. **_“Are they bothering you, children?”_ **

_Long arms tearing off limbs teeth sinking into flesh dead eyes staring at him-_

**_“No!”_ ** Dream said quickly as Bad, who could mostly understand, shivered in fear. **_“They’re friends. Can they be pardoned?”_ **

The Enderman stared at each one, ending on George. **_“They may.”_ ** He said softly, and Dream let out a breath of relief. **_“But the Looker must keep on his mask.”_ **

**_“Thank you.”_ ** Dream glanced at the others. Any face covering in Ender was a mask, they didn't have a word for 'goggles'. “You guys can look, he’s allowing it.”

While Enders can’t control their feral reaction around humans, they can resist the urge when it comes to other borns. That’s why Enderborns aren’t affected by other borns looking at them, and it's why while Endermen can be affected, they can also ignore it.

One by one, the hunters slowly raised their heads. Sapnap was the only one brave enough to look the Enderman in the eyes. “They’re surprisingly pretty.” He murmured. “Like, they’re amethyst. Do your eyes look like that?”

“No. His are green.” Tubbo was holding one of the Enderman’s arms, hanging off of it while the Enderman swung it back and forth, like it was a swing. **_“Higher!”_ **

“Tubbo, come on.” Dream reprimanded. “He has places to be. Leave him alone.”

“But I never get to see any anymore!” Tubbo pouted, still not letting go. “They never go into L’Manburg, it’s been years!”

“So he can understand that language you speak?” George cut in, curious. The hunter inched closer to Dream, tense. His goggles shined in the sunlight, blocking his eyes. “Does he understand us? What’s his name?”

“No, and nothing you would be able to understand.” Dream laughed at how curious he was. “You can understand Tubbo’s and I’s name because while they’re Ender names, they were made by Enderborns, who knew we would need human-like names. Endermen don’t have the same problem.”

 **_“I do understand some Looker, child.”_ ** Human was a word in Ender, but Looker was almost synonymous with it, and it’s the only word Endermen will use when describing one. The only Enderman he’s ever known to say human instead of Looker was the female elder. **_”But you are correct. My given name is the Lpfulgpher.”_ **

Dream stared at the Enderman for a few seconds. “Yeah, I got no translation for that.”

“That’s close to the Wanderer.” Tubbo spoke up, now sitting on the Enderman’s shoulders. “I also caught ocean and loner in there, I think.”

“Lone SeaWanderer, maybe.” Dream shrugged. “Close enough. **_I didn’t know Endermen could roam alone.”_ **

**_“I am not common.”_ ** The Enderman smiled, unhinging his jaw, and George squeaked. Dream patted his shoulder, reassuring. The human almost jumped from the coldness of it. The Enderman looked up. **_“The rain will come soon. I must follow the sea.”_ **

**_“Not yet!”_ ** Tubbo poked the Enderman’s unhinged jaw, and Dream wondered if he was _trying_ to give the hunters an aneurysm. **_“Please sing for us! It’s been forever since I heard a lullaby!”_ **

Dream tried not to feel salty about that one. He knew Tubbo wanted to hear one from an Enderman, not him, but it still hurt a bit.

The Enderman chuckled, folding his limbs until he sat indian style on the ground, Tubbo hopped off it’s shoulders and into his lap, leaning back against his spiny chest. The hunters wouldn’t understand, but when an Enderman sang it was custom for those who were younger to stop and listen. He gave them one last assuring smile before stepping forward, settling right next to the Enderman. “Sit down and relax.”

The hunters did as he said and the SeaWanderer started humming, a deep soothing tone that reminded him, ironically, of the sea. Of waves crashing on beaches and the smell of salt in the air. It was soft and melodic and even the hunters seemed to relax. Dream rests his head against the Enderman’s side, sighing in content.

Halfway through the lullaby Tubbo grabbed his hand, grinning widely and gesturing to the others. They had all relaxed, fear completely gone from their faces. Dream smiled at the sight. Endermen were scary to those that didn’t understand them. Those that did knew that they were just like humans- they were loving and caring and protective over the ones they loved. They were all unique, all following a different path, and they all deserved respect. They were not just a vessel to kill and a pearl to take.

_Humans aren't loving, Dream. Don't let them trick you._

It might not mean much, changing 3 people’s opinions on Endermen. It _shouldn’t_ mean much, but these were people Dream knew and that made all the difference. Because if they were scared of Endermen, they were scared of Enderborns too. Dream didn’t want them to be afraid of him.

  
  


The Enderman leaves and they make it a third of the way before stopping for the night. Camp is haphazard but none of them care- Tubbo is too busy pestering Bad again and Sapnap fell asleep outside the tent. 

Dream went to bring him in when George stopped him. "Let him." He said. "We'll bring him in if it rains. Other than that, let him be."

Dream wanted to ignore him, but then he realized that the night was _cold._ Of course, the Blazeborn was trying to _cool off._

He was tempted to bring him in just so they could help each other, but then Tubbo was calling for him, asking him to recount Robin Hood (again) and Dream let it be, ducking back under the tent.

"He doesn't know what it is, Dream!" Tubbo exclaimed, and Bad had the decency to look sheepish. "He's never heard Robin Hood before!"

"It's a rare book, Tubbo." Dream said in explanation. "Not everyone got the chance to read it."

"Yeah." George agreed. "What are you guys talking about? Sapnap's mentioned it before but he never explained."

He wonders how Sapnap got his hands on the book- did the noble who held him have it? He shakes away the thought, sitting down on one of the sleeping bags. Tubbo's immediately at his side. "You guys are in for a treat."

"You sure we shouldn't wake up Sapnap?" Dream turned to George. "He might wanna hear this."

George just shook his head. "Let him rest." He said. "He rarely ever does."

Dream felt a pang of sympathy flash through him, understanding. While being too cold or too hot normally didn't affect sleep, it did whenever the environment copied it. Dream could rarely fall asleep when the temperature dropped- he'd spend the night shivering and shaking. He wouldn't be surprised if it was the same for Sapnap. "Ok, well, buckle in guys."

The story was told three times. The first time the tent was quiet as he added theatrics to the story to make it more appealing. The second time through the others would butt in to say lines of characters that they remembered. Tubbo would giggle and say his favorite lines, Bad would jump in whenever he didn't say a part he had said last time, and George kept asking him to explain the environment in vivid detail, even though he couldn't understand the colors perfectly.

The third time was after George fell asleep. The moment Tubbo was sure the human was out, he jumped on Bad, speaking in semi-fluent Ender and broken Demon, and Bad could barely keep up. Dream pulled the boy away, said his Ender was getting worse, not better, and then made _him_ recount the entire story in Ender. Since Bad had already heard it twice, he was able to better learn Ender, as well as Tubbo, so win win. He had to promise the boy though that he'd memorize the story too and tell him it in Demon one day. Bad obliged happily.

After that, they spent an hour or so recounting their own tales, heard over the years that stuck with them. Dream found Bad’s story the most interesting- apparently, there was a demon trapped underneath the Capitol’s castle.

“Really?” Tubbo asked, wide eyed. “Why?”

“Well-” Bad thought for a second. “He wasn’t a good demon, you know? He liked violence, he liked death. He was dangerous, so a group of humans trapped him and locked him up under the castle. Demons don’t age, so some people think he’s still down there, stuck and angry.”

Dream blinked, worried. “What would he do if he escaped?”

_Kill them all. They deserve it._

“I’d say take his revenge but everyone who trapped him is long dead by now.” Bad shrugged. “There’s been reports of his magic going around, from what my Capitol friend tells me. He was apparently pretty powerful.”

Dream didn’t like the sound of that, but it was just a story. It might not even be real, no use worrying about it.

They went to sleep shortly after. Bad gave him his blanket, since he was already warm, and he and Tubbo snuggled under it and their own, basking in the little warmth it gave them. Three blankets may be enough for Tubbo, but Dream usually needed at least five to really start feeling a difference. The wind was howling outside, and he thought he might not be able to get to sleep, but then Bad, the kind demon he was, noticed and wiggled closer.

Demons were nowhere _near_ as hot as blazes, but it was enough to make Tubbo (who was asleep on his other side) moved closer, almost rolling over Dream if he didn't stop him. They both laughed at the boy for a moment before going quiet.

"I'm sorry." He heard Bad whisper. He was half asleep himself, Bad's heat putting him just over the line he needed to be comfortable. 

He looked at him sluggishly. "Why?"

"I drugged you against your will." Bad didn't meet his eyes. "You got hurt because of me."

"You wanted to help Ant." Out of the three hunters, Dream felt the least hurt by him. He didn't know how anyone could think bad of… Bad. "I don't blame you. Besides, you've healed me, like, 83 times and I've only known you for a few days."

Bad's laugh was deeper than usual, and Dream had forgotten he was part demon for a second. "That's a bit of an over exaggeration, Dream."

"It's true enough." Dream shrugged. "Look, George shot me in the shoulder and Sapnap- well, Sapnap… he's _Sapnap._ If I've forgiven them then I've definitely forgiven you, you muffin head."

Bad beamed at him, too bright to belong to a Demon, and closed his eyes. George muttered in his sleep and rolled closer, attracted by the heat too. He wished Sapnap wasn't outside- he was tempted to join him, but it was the Blazeborn's choice and he should accept that. Dream followed suit and they both sunk off into oblivion.

A few hours away, a hunter group looked down at their compass and grinned.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enderman section written for Writer_of_the_dead, who wanted more Ender culture <3 Also Bad's Capitol friend is of course Skeppy. And yes this was a perfect opportunity for Blazeborn Enderborn cuddles and yes I didn’t write it on purpose. Why? Well, I like making people suffer, as you'll see in the next chapter ;)  
> And thanks for the 1300 kudos and 400 comments ^.^ I have a lot of fun reading comments bc most of you are either panicking, theorizing, or making jokes and I love it.


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a bit busy this week so I was gonna skip today but I thought it'd be mean so I'm gonna skip Wednesday instead.  
> 3.5k words.

He woke up to rough hands grabbing his hair, more hands yanking his arms behind his back. He gasped, still drowsy, and his chest started to flare, dropping in temperature.

Just when he was sure he was going to teleport cuffs locked around his wrists and the feeling faded. The cold stayed, though, and he thrashed in his bonds. Someone kicked him in the jaw, making his teeth clack together painfully.

"Would you look-y here?" There was a mouth way too close to his ear, warm breath sounding amused and prideful. He squirmed. The mouth moved away to shout. "We found 'em, boys!"

Unceremoniously, he was picked up and draped over the person's (a tall, buff man with a sick grin) shoulder. From his viewpoint he could see three people holding Bad down as two more kept a hold of Tubbo and George. George was shouting and snapping at the hunters, cursing loudly, and Bad was half pleading half shouting at them as well. He met Tubbo's eyes, surprised to see a line of blood drip down his face.

Anger swelled in him, and he struggled, but the guy just laughed, carrying him outside. Their camp was completely surrounded- there were at least a dozen hunters. A few milled about outside the camp, and the last ones stood by Sapnap, each holding one of his arms. He had been doused in water to cool his temperature (so the hunters could hold him without burning) and a prismarine collar was latched around his neck, enchanted with the same thing his chains had. The Blazeborn was baring his teeth at them, snarling. Even though he was soaking wet, no one baited him.

Blazes were high on the dangerous borns list for a reason.

The hunter holding him took him off his shoulder, dropping him. He landed on his own shoulder hard, biting his lip to keep from crying out. He heard Sapnap yell something, but his own mind was a little to preoccupied with  _ panic fuck he forgot not all of the hunters would've gotten the news that the bounty was over they'd still be out here hunting him fuck fuck fuck Tubbo was here too FUCK- _

The tent was taken apart, their bags looted and their weapons kicked away (he  _ just _ got that new axe, too-). Bad was pulled over to one of the logs they had rolled over to the campfire, his hands tied around it with chains to stop his powers. George and Tubbo were stationed where the tent used to be, because humans -or so they thought- still had rights which meant they couldn't be harmed too much. They both still looked disheveled, tied up back to back with normal rope. Sapnap was pulled closer to the rest of the group, but still farther than the rest. Several buckets of water sat around him, too far for him to do anything while people still held him, and every time he started to dry enough that the hunter felt his heat they doused him. Dream winced in sympathy.

_ Screw humans. Why couldn't they leave him  _ **_alone?!_ **

He was left in the middle of the group, the only thing stopping him from running being the chains. Dream finds the situation ironic- they were more wary of the number 5 most dangerous born and not the number 1 most dangerous, but he understood. They were number one because if they went feral almost nothing could stop them, but they're pretty average with a mask on. Blazeborns, on the other hand, could only be stopped with water, and you had to be timely. Otherwise, you were just pissing them off.

After a few minutes all the hunters gathered around, and Dream's eyes flickered between them. Fourteen in total, way to many when three of them were powerless. Tubbo could escape, he knew, but he also knew he wouldn't leave them.

"Would you look at this find, ladies and gents!" The hunter who had carried him out, most likely the leader, exclaimed. "We've got an Ender, a Blaze,  _ and _ a Demon! This changes things!"

Some of the hunters cheered, leering at Sapnap and Bad. Others murmured, questioning. Sapnap's face was one of pure anger, something he's never seen on the born's face before. He genuinely didn't know if the chains would hold him, if the water wasn't there. 

"Now, the Enderborn's 1 million, and we'd all get our share, but that's only 70 thousand each! I've got another idea." The leader grinned that sickening grin, and Dream's fight or flight had already been kicked in. He was reaching primal fear now. Stupidly, he tried to get up, but then the leader kicked him down, holding a boot against his chest. His friends shouted, angry. "Due to their rarity, an Enderborn's pearl and mask go for 750 thousand,  _ each, _ on the market."

He knew where he was going with this. Judging by his friends' faces, they did too.

"And not just that!" The leader continued. "A Blazeborn's rods are 500 thousand each! Demon's blood is a thousand  _ for 5 milliliters! _ Now, I think that sounds  _ much better _ then what the king is offering. What do you think?"

The other hunters cheered, jeering at them. One kicked Bad in the side, and Sapnap snarled from where he sat, livid. One of the hunters holding him hit him, fist landing squarely on his jaw. The Blazeborn just glared, face set in stone. The other hunters didn't care, shoving each other playfully, drunk off the prospect of even  _ more _ money. Before, when they were just hunting Dream, risking the black market for half a million more might not be enough incentive, especially because it would mean killing him, which is  _ supposed _ to be a big no no. Now, though, with the extra money they'd make off of Bad and Sapnap, they didn't care anymore about the risks.

This didn't look good.

"That's 3.5 million." A woman spoke up, calculating the numbers in her head. 250 thousand gold for each of us."

Somehow, they got even louder. Dream's heart sank.

"So!" The leader grinned, pleased with himself. He applied more pressure to Dream's chest, and he let out a hacking wheeze of pain. "How about we do that instead?"

It was an overwhelming 'yes', and Dream's heart was pounding. They didn't need them alive if they were switching to the market, and he couldn't pretend like George and Tubbo were safe either. Human organ selling was big in the black market, as was slave trading. They'd start cutting him up and either find the pearl or Tubbo would panic and teleport away, revealing himself that way.

"Great." The leader continued, locking eyes with Dream's mask before looking behind him. "Do the Blazeborn first."

There was shouting, and Dream scrambled to his stomach, pushing off the boot and looking behind him. Hunters were pushing Sapnap down, unbothered by his struggles. One pointed at each of his sides, pointing out where his blaze rods were, and another was taking out a knife. Sapnap was snapping out at them, cussing and thrashing, but he was truly trapped.

Dream shouted, mind going on overdrive. He had to do something, had to stop them, but he had no powers and no one would pay attention to him- minds too focused on money. He had to stop them, but how-

He had an idea.

"NO!" He shouted, as loud as he could, before bringing his hands up to his mask. He tore the thing off, looking up at the hunters but making sure  _ not _ to catch their eyes.

If he could make them  _ think _ he was about to go feral, then he would become their top priority.

The hunters paused, ducking their heads and cursing. Sapnap looked at him with wide eyes. A fist connected with his jaw and he fell back to the ground, pain flying through his head. People were on him instantly, one of them slapping his mask back on his face and tying it tightly. He grinned to himself.  _ Mission accomplished. _

He wasn't going to let that happen. Wasn't going to let the Blazeborn die. Not if he could help it. He was much too invested in this- much to invested in  _ them. _

They were his  _ friends. _

_ You should've looked them in the eyes. You should've killed them all, Dream. They're humans, they deserve it. _

Hands were grabbing his limbs, pushing him into the dirt and pinning him down. It was familiar, and he knew what was about to happen. Struggling didn't help, but that didn't stop him from trying.

He didn't want to rely on his pearl overloading and getting him out again. His friends would still be in danger, anyway.

"Guess he wants to go first, huh? Keep the mask on until he's dead." The leader instructed, ignoring Sapnap's threats and the other's shouts. He produced a short knife and  _ he was back with the other man, knife digging into his chest and bleeding him out pain so much _ **_pain_ ** _ please stop- _

**_"Stop!"_ ** He screamed, and the hunters paused for a second, before realizing he was just speaking Ender and continuing. He thrashed, hating how  _ helpless _ he felt.  **_"Please!"_ **

He shouldn't of taken off his mask, bad idea bad idea bad idea but it helped Sapnap but now he was  _ here again _ he couldn't handle it bad idea bad idea bad idea-

They ignored him, and the leader came forward, one large hand pressing his chest down. They didn't bother removing his clothes, probably planning to cut right through.

The knife touched his chest as the leader pinpointed where he wanted to start. Dream broke.

**_"Stop, please fucking stop no please stop PLEASE JUST KILL ME FIRST I CAN'T NOT AGAIN-"_ **

He  _ hates  _ this. He hates  _ all of this. _ The running, the fear,  _ humans. He hates it all. _

His outburst caused another pause, and before they could start again the leader was coughing, and a collective gasp started up in the crowd as blood poured from his lips. Dream looked down, eyes widening at the _diamond_ _sword_ sticking out of his stomach.

The leader fell to the ground, revealing Tubbo behind him, hands shaking but eyes blazing, a glowing pure blue.

He glanced at George. The ropes where Tubbo had sat tied were laying on the ground, loose. He had teleported out, he had to of.

Which meant the hunters had seen.

The hunters would _ know.  _

Tubbo didn't seem to care, taking a step towards Dream, sword pointed at the hunters holding him down. They were still in shock, still figuring it out. They didn't have much time left.

**_"Tubbo."_ ** He rasped, voice rough, and his eyes snapped to him.  **_"Get Sapnap first. Now!"_ **

Tubbo gulped and vanished.

Seconds later there was screaming. Dream craned his head to see one of the hunters holding Sapnap with a sword stuck in their thigh. With one of his hands free, Sapnap (who was relatively dry) twisted the hand of the other hunter holding him, kicking his knee in such a way to snap it before rolling. Another hunter, who was about to redouse him, threw the water bucket and missed.

Sapnap looked at him, and even though he was collared he still looked  _ murderous. _ The born bent down, grabbing an axe from one of the fallen hunters. Keeping his gaze on the hunter in front of him, he twisted his wrist, sending the axe right into his own neck.

The collar broke and fell, along with a short splatter of blood. The Blazeborn grinned, blood leaking from his neck. His hands caught fire.

The grip on Dream loosened in fright.

He immediately went into action, twisting out of the hold on his right hand and grabbing the hunter holding his left hand, pulling them up and into the hunters holding his legs. The one that was holding his right hand tried to grab him, but Tubbo was there, stabbing the hunter in the foot with his sword. Dream stood up, holding his hands out. Tubbo swung the sword through the chains, cutting them off. He felt his strength return immediately.

He bent down, grabbing a fallen sword and axe. He clipped the axe to his belt, saving it for later. The flight in him drained, turning into the need to fight.

He locked eyes with Sapnap, who was still dealing with his own hunter. The man nodded. Dream turned to the hunter Tubbo had stabbed in the foot and pushed his sword through their neck. At the same time, the hunters that had been holding Sapnap screamed in agony as they were burned to death.

They had seen Tubbo teleport. Dream knew what that meant, as did Sapnap.

None of them could be left alive.

_ Kill them all. They deserve it. _

The other hunters regathered, finally organizing themselves. There were still 9 left, and Bad and George were still stuck. The good news was they weren't near George, that bad news was they crowded Bad.

Dream whispered a command in Ender, and Tubbo vanished again. Before they could wonder where he went Dream charged, bringing out his axe mid run. A few hunters took out their crossbows and fired, but before he could worry his pearl grew cold and he was suddenly besides them. His axe cleaved a head in half as his sword slit another person's throat in the first swing.

He forgot how  _ good _ diamond was. The axe was lined with a blackish purple- netherite, if he was correct. Rare and  _ extra _ deadly, yay.

The hunters scrambled, startled, and suddenly Sapnap was there, grinning wildly with abandon. His flaming hands caught someone's neck, and before they could die from the burns he snapped it. As the body fell flames engulfed it.

He stared at the fire for a second to long, the cold feeling in his chest easing slightly. He looked back at Sapnap, who looked  _ deranged, _ and he realized that Blazeborns had a feral side too.

A sword sunk into his side and he hissed, not really feeling it. Tearing himself off he twisted, disarming the hunter by  _ cutting off their arm _ and stabbing them through the heart. The body fell right next to Bad, who was trying his best to go unnoticed. Dream took a quick look around before bending down, chopping the chains holding him in half.

"Thanks." Bad stood with him, rubbing his wrists. His eyes widened. "Look out!"

He turned to see a hunter running towards him, axe extended. Before he could reach him, though, an arrow suddenly protruded from his right eye. Dream spun around to see George, free and armed. He nodded, face hard.

He had realized, too.  _ None could survive. _

Besides the one Sapnap was dealing with, there were only a few left. He and George made quick work of them, giving them swift and painless deaths, which was probably more than they deserved. Dream made sure their compass was broken, shooting it several times as Bad healed his stab wound. Once he was sure everyone was dead he paused, putting down his weapon. Tubbo ran into him, and he raised his arms, catching the boy in a hug. Blood mixed with tears and he held him tighter. George placed a glove hand on the kid's shoulder, and Sapnap crossed his arms, watching from nearby. He still looked angry. 

They didn't loot the bodies much, besides taking the diamond weapons and any money they had before collecting their own stuff and heading off. Diamond weapons would be very helpful to Pogtopia. The bodies that were burning were starting to smell, so they left soon after.

They took a break a mile or so away. Sapnap had been silent, covered in blood and eyes still glowing even though he wasn't using his powers anymore. George had a slight limp and Tubbo was still bleeding from a head wound, something they all anonymously agreed to let Bad heal first. As Bad hovered over both the boy and human, Sapnap turned and walked into the woods.

Dream, of course, followed him.

The Blazeborn didn't go far, finding a sitting pool of water before stopping. Dream was also covered in the hunters' blood, and water, for once, sounded very appealing.

They were silent for a while. Dream's clothes and mask had taken the brunt of the damage, so he cleaned them as Sapnap, who wasn't wearing long sleeves or a mask, just threw the shirt into the woods and focused on cleaning the blood off his skin. They had extra clothes, anyway. Dream only cleans his clothes because they had sentimental value, and they were warm.

After maybe twenty minutes of silence he spoke up. "Your eyes are still orange."

They were, and his markings were blazing, brighter than he's ever seen markings get. Since he was shirtless, he could see the other marks that gave Blazeborns away. Two long stripes went from his stomach to the start of his chest on either side of his body, looking almost like burn marks. They signified where his blaze rods were. Sapnap still didn't look at him.

He tried a different approach. "Has this happened before?"

He knew the answer was yes, knew it's probably why his noble had died, but he wanted Sapnap to tell him. "Yeah." He said after a moment, and his voice sounded raspy, like an actual blaze. When he opened his mouth smoke came out. "Can't really control it."

Dream nodded, understanding. Blazeborns were children with feral monsters hidden underneath. Why was god so fucked up? "You go feral."

Sapnap snorted. "I'm not an Enderborn."

"I know what going feral looks like, Sapnap." He flinched at his name. "I thought It only happened to Enderborn, but it makes sense. Blazes aren't known to be the most friendly, are they?"

Sapnap looked down. He was in the middle of the pond, soaking wet and looking like a kicked puppy. The water was red around him. "I wouldn't know." He murmured. "All the Blazeborns I know were killed a long time ago. I've been alone since I was 5."

5? He's been by himself for that long? Did he even know his native tongue? He's never heard Blaze before so he doesn't know if it's similar to Ender. It's easy to forget that the Genocide Decree effected all of the most dangerous borns, and not just Enderborns and Witherborns.

"It's fine." Sapnap muttered before Dream could speak up. "I don't remember them, so it doesn't matter. George is my family now, anyway- George and Bad and Ant. They're my family and I  _ will not _ let anything happen to them."

_ Kill all the humans. _

Dream didn't speak, he didn't have the right words to say. Instead, he moved away from his drying hoodie and sweater, slipping into the water and slowly making his way over. The water was warm, heated up by the Blazeborn.

"I can't let it happen again." He continued. "You understand that, Dream, I  _ know _ you do. It's just… I can get  _ so angry _ and then there's  _ fire _ and it's so  _ pretty _ and  _ deadly _ and I just want to let it spread and ravage everything! I want it to get rid of all the monsters that fake being human. I want it all to  _ burn, _ so that we'll be safe, because I've worked  _ so hard _ for the family I got and I  _ can't lose them, _ Dream,  _ I can't-" _

Dream reached him, wrapping him up in a hug. His head fell against Dream's shoulder and he broke into a sob, arms curling around him. He clutched him like a lifeline, and Dream let him, humming softly as he cried.

They arrived at the clearing clean and mostly dressed. None of the others said anything about Sapnap being shirtless, like they half expected him to ditch the bloody thing. George even had a shirt at the ready, throwing it at his face as they emerged.

"Awe, George, thanks!" The Blazeborn hugged him before he put the shirt on. He was still wet enough that it didn't hurt the human, but George still screamed for him to back off. Sapnap laughed, back to his regular self, and Dream hoped it wasn't a front.

Bad checked both of them over before saying they were clear to continue on their way. They packed back up and started back up.

"Wait!" Dream paused, turning around. Tubbo looked conflicted behind him, bouncing on the balls of his feet in nervousness. "Those hunters…" he started. "None of them survived. We… we killed  _ all of them. _ We, we didn't have to, so, so why… why did we?"

Dream held back a sigh. "You heard their plan, Tubbo. If any of them got away they could've told other hunters about Bad and Sapnap. We had to get rid of them all, or they would've spread the word."

That was a lie.

"They were hunters, I guess." Tubbo didn't seem to like it, but he understood. "They get what they deserve."

Tubbo dropped the conversation and they continued on. Dream ignored the looks the others gave them. They knew he lied.

They didn't kill them all to keep Bad and Sapnap secret. They did to keep Tubbo a secret. He's been doing that for years now, whenever a hunter found out about Tubbo. Tubbo never questioned it before, and Dream never explained himself before.

If he knew those deaths were because he used his powers- that whenever he used his powers someone might have to die to hide him, he'd never use them again. He'd never forgive himself, and Dream couldn't let that happen.

And if that meant he had to lie, then so be it.

He's done much worse for his brother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I should make a "Slow Burn: Cuddles" tag and add it here cause man I'm making y'all wait aren't I? You start with running, then carrying each other, then a few hugs. I hate slow burn, I have become the thing I hate.


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phil isn't actually in this story but he's here in fuckin spirit I'll tell ya. Also I'm not gonna lie I've been watching a lot of vods/streams and I've been reading a lot of fics and I am desperate for some 'they really do care for each other' fluff so I added it into this chapter cause even I have my limits.  
> 3k words.

Pogtopia is busy when they arrive.

The place is packed, full of L’Manburg citizens that had been kicked out by Schlatt. Wilbur didn’t really have time to greet them, checking Dream over once before seeing that they had extra diamond weapons (courtesy of the dead hunters) and taking them to distribute them out. Sapnap was immediately pulled into a fighting arena to duel against the Blaze Halfborn from L’Manburg, and Bad went to check out those who were injured to see if he could help. Dream was going to stay with George and give him company, but then Tubbo was pulling him away to find Pogtopia’s leaders. The human hunter just nodded in understanding, going to watch Sapnap spar.

They entered the makeshift command room to find Tommy and Techno arguing over if Tommy would be allowed to fight in the front lines. The older sibling was obviously losing. Tommy paused when he saw Dream, eyes lighting up. “Dream! You’re okay!”

**_A Looker._ **

Dream blinked, hand subconsciously coming up to his mask. The entire room noticed, freezing as they remembered what happened the last time they saw him. Dream grimaced. “Hey Tommy. Sorry, just making sure.”

“It’s cool, big man.” Tommy took a hesitant step forward, and Techno was staring, he could tell even with the mask on. The Witherborn’s hand was resting on his sword, ready. “That was legitimately stupid of me, I can admit that much.”

“Everything you do is stupid.” Tubbo adds in cheekily, and Tommy sputters, lunging at his best friend. Tubbo shouts and teleports to the other side of the room.

**_A Looker… after child?_ **

_ No. _

Dream forces his attention away from the two. It’s harder than he thought it would be. Techno is still staring, like he knows the inner turmoil he’s going through right now. “Tubbo said you needed my help?”

“Yeah.” Techno nodded. “We’re screwed right now. L’Manburg isn’t a strong military force, but the king’s already sent out a few squads of knights. We have a lot of borns, but they aren’t used to fighting. Depending on what happens, we might need something big to change the tide. You get what I’m saying?”

He did. He wished he didn’t.

A feral Enderborn could take out an entire town. It could ravage the countryside. Destroy an army. 

It was a wildcard.

One Pogtopia unfortunately needed.

The rest of the day was spent passing out supplies, weapons, and armor. Dream, after Techno’s insistence, helped with training those who had no combat ability whatsoever but still wanted to help fight. They couldn’t hold a sword right, so Dream taught them the basics before switching most of them over to archery. L’Manburg had an archery range, which meant most of its citizens at least knew how to shoot. It was safer that way.

He doesn’t know how Pogtopia expanded enough to fit almost everyone inside, but it was impressive, given the amount of people. They were crowded though, so the hunters all had to share a room. Night time approached, and he finds himself in the command room with the leaders of Pogtopia. It wasn’t, surprisingly, as somber as he expected it to be. Instead of them going over battle plans they were mostly joking around and catching up. Apparently Techno found a dragon’s hoard last time he was out exploring and Tommy was very interested.

“You’ll have to ask dad.” Techno finally said after Tommy kept asking him to take him with him next time he goes in that direction. “He was with me, he took most of the loot.”

The mention of Phil shifted the tone of the conversation slightly. Dream wondered why he wasn’t here. Did he not hear about the rebellion?

“He hasn’t been back here in awhile, Techno.” Wilbur said softly, and Techno nodded, like he already knew.

"This wouldn’t have happened if he was here." Tommy flicked a piece of rubble. "He would’ve known what to do. He always did- no matter what happened." A small smile graced his face. "I miss back then."

Wilbur snorted. "I was a bitch to be around, why would you miss that?" He didn't bring up the fact that war was on the horizon back then, like it was now. Or that he had lost his father and been kidnapped around that time either.

"You still are a bitch." Tommy sniggered, before shrugging. "Dunno, maybe it's just cause Phil was around more."

He knew their father traveled a lot, especially after Techno grew up enough to watch Wilbur and Tommy. Then the king started calling for the Witherborn more often, and Wilbur was suddenly the grown-up, basically raising his little brother by himself. He thinks that's why he and Wilbur got along so well- they both felt the weight of raising someone by themselves.

"Remember when dad took you horseback riding?" Techno asked with a grin, and Tommy copied it, something childlike sparking in his eyes. "You fell  _ five times." _

"Oh, shut it." Tommy's bark had no bite to it, and Tubbo snickered. "Well, what about the first time you picked up a sword? You almost fell on top of it, it was so heavy!"

"You used to make me sing you to sleep, Tommy." Wilbur cut in, grinning sharply. "We used to put dad to sleep and sneak out to walk the town."

"The amount of times you guys got in trouble." Techno sighed. "I'd be proud if I wasn't the one having to bail you guys out."

Tubbo caught Dream's eyes, and they both smiled. There was something very nice about being able to sit back and just  _ listen _ to memories. Memories of a much simpler time. It felt nice, warm in a different way.

"You know, he used to sing  _ me _ to sleep." Wilbur said after a moment, voice soft and eyes glazed over. "When I had nightmares. After, ah, you know."

The mood turned a strange tone of somber- still light in remembrance but darker in subject matter. "Yeah." Techno murmured, voice far away.

"I used to get the  _ worst _ colds." Tommy started up, voice low. "Especially when I was really young. I'd be bedridden for days. It worried dad sick, but he'd never leave my side, even when I'd be getting sick all over the place. He was always there."

He suddenly felt like he was listening into something he shouldn't have been.

There was a soft sigh as Techno continued the train of thought. "Right after the last… raid, on the Witherborns, there were a few hunters that took me from my fortress and planned to do who knows what with me- who knows the amount of money you could get for the last Witherborn, a prince, for that matter. I don't know how, but Phil just suddenly _ appeared _ at their camp and killed them all. He brought me back to L'Manburg and took care of me. When hunters appeared, he always made them go running, I don't know  _ what _ he did, honestly."

After the last raid on Witherborns, there was a short amount of time when hunters went around with compasses to make sure they got them all. The thing was, during the last raid all but two Witherborn compasses were destroyed, and no one had the necessary tools to create more. Dream had heard that the last one was destroyed a few days after the raid, when Witherborns were declared extinct.

Dream wondered what Phil did to them.

"You know, I didn't meet Tommy first." Tubbo spoke up, and they all looked to him, confused. "When I first got here." He elaborated. "Dream was sleeping and I thought 'hey, I saw some pumpkins nearby, why not make him some pie?' so I went out to get them. Turns out, they were part of Phil's little secret garden outside of L'Manburg. He let me have some, of course. Said I was the same age as his youngest son and said he thought we'd get along. The next day while we were in town I saw him again, and you were with him, Tommy."

Tommy laughed. "He knew from the beginning. Of course."

The room went quiet, everyone lost in thought. Something settled in the bottom of Dream's stomach.

"He spoke Ender." Dream finally said, and the others turned to him, surprised (except for Techno, and that would explain how he knows Ender-). "He was better at it then Tubbo, really. Said he used to travel with Enderborns- help them get away from hunters and the like. He knew a lot of Ender cultures and customs- more than me, if I'm honest. He taught me a lot of them, said I deserved to know. To understand my people better, even if it never helped me in the long run."

"I miss him." Wilbur finally said, summing up the room perfectly. "I wish he was here."

Techno's next sound was one of disagreement. "As much as I love dad." He drawled. "I'd rather not have  _ more _ family in the line of fire."

"Yeah." Tommy echoed. "He's safer out there."

"I think he'd rather be in danger with us then safe not knowing if we were." Wilbur said, eyes hardening.

"Of course he'd rather be." Techno snorted. "But we're not kids anymore, are we? We shouldn't make him clean up after us anymore."

There was a moment of silence as everyone's minds went to the two kids of the room. Even though he didn't voice it, Dream knew that that was Techno's way of giving them an out. If Tubbo and Tommy wanted to, they could take the out given to them. They could stand back and stay at Pogtopia, wait until the battle was fought. They could help Niki with the medical supplies instead of being on the front lines.

They could be scared if they wanted to be.

Tommy shook his head, face full of determination. "No way, Blade. This is our country now. Even if Wilbur doesn't rule it anymore, we need it out of  _ Schlatt's _ hands." 

"We do we do." Tubbo agreed, nodding his head. "That place is a safe haven for people like us. We can't let Schlatt destroy that. We shouldn't have to keep running." He looks at Dream pointedly. "We don't  _ need _ to keep running."

Dream would whack him upside the head for that comment if others weren't around. Tubbo acts as if he  _ wants _ to keep running!  **_"Watch what you say, child."_ **

He had the audacity to stick his tongue out at him. The others laughed, and Dream sent them all a glare, fighting to keep a smile off his own face. It was nice, thinking back on old times.

He wondered what would've happened if Phil never found him, the first day he was in L'Manburg...

_ The night was dark, the moon and stars hidden behind rows and rows of clouds. A soft breeze- rustled through the trees, and Dream marched forward, eyes blazing behind his mask. Whereas a human wouldn't be able to see an inch in front of them, Dream's not human. _

_ "It's up ahead." Tubbo promised. The young boy was on his back, Dream's arms locked around his legs to steady him. The Halfborn couldn't see in the dark, he would fall if he tried to walk, so Dream was carrying him. "Black walls, that's what he said." _

_ He had apparently talked to someone in the nearby village that spoke of a born sanctuary called L'Manburg. Dream, quite frankly, wasn't buying it- they had been tricked before. Still, Tubbo seemed so excited and they could at least check. _

_ They'd been constantly moving for ten months now. They both deserved a break. _

_ Black walls appeared in the distance, blocked out by trees. "I see it." The teenager confirmed, and he looked up at Tubbo. "Remember, if this is a trap-" _

_ "Run, don't teleport. Cover my eyes. Act human. Yeah, I know." Tubbo patted his shoulder. "Now come on! They said there would be a festival today!" _

_ The thought worried him more. He's spent most of his life with only his family and Endermen, he's never dealt with crowds before. Even when he goes into towns they're small and most people are busy inside. Tubbo seemed to like the idea of more people, but it just made Dream paranoid. _

_ As they got closer light started peaking through, coming from inside the walls. When Tubbo could see the kid jumped off, steadying himself before grabbing his hand and tugging him towards the entrance nearby. _

_ The person guarding the entrance took one look at them and opened the gates. Tubbo pulled him in, and suddenly everything was  _ **_loud,_ ** _ the entire town seemed to be filled with music and chatter and fireworks. His young companion loved it, looking around in awe. "It's beautiful!" _

_ The teenager would agree if there weren't so many  _ **_people._ **

**_So many eyes…_ **

_ His hand came up and tugged on his mask, making sure it was still there. While he could tell most of the people here were borns, there were enough humans scattered about that it made the hair on the back of his neck rise. He tried to ignore it, tried to enjoy himself. _

_ "Tubbo!" A small human, preteen maybe, ran forward, right at Tubbo. Dream resisted the urge to grab him and run. "You made it! This your brother?" The kid looked Dream up and down. "He's lame. What's with the mask?" _

_ Well, at least Tubbo hadn't outed all their secrets to the random kid he had met. "I think it's cool." He said eventually. "Anyway, Dream, this is Tommy." _

_ "Hey kid." He hoped his voice didn't waver, and the tension in his shoulders wasn't noticeable.  _

_ "I'm not a kid." Tommy pouted, and for a second Dream thought he mislabeled him and he was actually a born of some type- turtle or something. "I'm a grown man! Big T, they call me. Anyways, Tubbo, come on! I gotta show you that sword I was talking about!" _

_ "Your brother's?" Tubbo asks, but then Tommy is pulling him away. He grinned back at Dream, reassuring. "The usual, right? See ya!" _

_ Dream sighed as Tubbo ran off. That was their little code, essentially meaning 'meet back up in two hours, if you're fifteen minutes late, we're stirring up hell.' It applied to both of them. The teenager watched him disappear, before turning away and looking around. The lights were bright and colorful wrappings fell in ribbons to the ground. _

_ What a wonderful late birthday present this was… _

_ He turned 16 a week or so ago, and while he knew Tubbo wanted to get him something he also made sure the boy knew it wasn't necessary. He had felt bad, of course, when the time came and he had nothing, especially since on his own birthday Dream had gotten him some sweets from the capitol. He probably thought this would make it up to him. _

_ Dream hated it. Hated the crowd and the lights and how  _ **_loud_ ** _ it was. Hated how every time someone passed him he jumped and how each pair of eyes set him off. Hated that he couldn't relax for one fuckin second. But this was for Tubbo, so he'd deal with it. Like always. _

_ He couldn't deal with it. _

_ He lasted half an hour before running for an alley and falling to the ground. His hands scrapped against the asphalt, and he hissed at the sting. They were bleeding, bright red against tar black fingers. He ignored them, pressing his back against the house behind him and covering his ears. It was so  _ **_loud_ ** _ and the  _ **_eyes_ ** _ so many  _ **_eyes looking at him-_ **

_ He whined, feeling the little pinpricks of his claws emerging. Pushing them back down, he brought his legs up, feeling pitiful. He can't take this for much longer. He couldn't last the whole two hours. _

_ A soft sound filtered it's way through his ears and he froze, hands falling limp as he listened. Someone was humming. Someone was humming in _ **_Ender._ **

_ He tried to scramble up, but he had forgotten about his hands, which painfully reminded him. A gentle hand caught his shoulder, and he looked up to see blue eyes looking back at him.  _ **_"Calm, child."_ **

_ It's been almost a year since someone called _ **_him_ ** _ a child in Ender. It startled him, and he stared at the man in confusion. He was human. How did he know Ender?  _ **_"How-?"_ **

_ The man laughed, soft and soothing. He eased him back to the ground.  _ **_"I used to travel with Enders. They told me they were all going to the end. Did you get stuck here?"_ **

**_"No."_ ** _ He tried to sound sure of himself, like the grown man wouldn't be able to tell he was having a breakdown.  _ **_"I stayed back. I was just visiting, I swear-"_ **

_ He's used to people kicking him out once they realized he was Ender. The man just laughed.  _ **_"You're welcome here, child. My question here is why you're in the alley."_ ** _ Somehow, his voice got softer.  _ **_"Is it the crowd?"_ **

_ Dream realized then that this man must really know about Enderborns, to know that they still felt the stares, even with the masks. He felt a little bit more comfortable in his presence. _

_ Not to mention that he had touched him and hadn't immediately recoiled from the cold. _

**_"It's all the eyes!"_ ** _ His voice rose and cracked and he took a shuddery breath.  _ **_"To many eyes to many people all looking like Lookers but I don't wanna go feral I just wanted to see the festival but the eyes are everywhere and I can't-"_ **

_ When raising someone, you have to grow up early. That doesn't mean, though, that you are actually grown up. When the man's arms wrapped around him, murmuring a lullaby and _ **_warm,_ ** _ he broke, sobbing into the man's chest. He allowed it, combing through Dream's hair and waiting silently for him to finish.  _ **_"We have extra rooms at my place."_ ** _ He said once Dream had finished crying.  _ **_"I saw you come in with that Halfborn. He ran off with my son, actually. My oldest is your age, and he understands what you're going through. We'd be glad to have you."_ **

_ And Dream, for once, accepted the invitation to stay.  _

_ The man, Phil, helped him find Tubbo and Tommy. He introduced them to Wilbur (who Tubbo immediately became friends with, even though the boy was in his early angsty teen years) and Techno (who took one look at his mask, recognized it for what it was, and immediately said his was better. They've been rivals ever since). When Phil showed him the room he'd be staying in he didn't expect the human to leave and come back with fifteen more blankets. He's stayed in inns since he left his family, but they're far and few between and the blankets had never been enough to make a difference to him. _

_ It was the first time all year he had been truly warm. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oofins_Mcgoofins made 'Chronicles of a Very Confused Ender' which is a story about Ranboo in this AU! I've read the first chapter and I love it so far! Go check it out! They also made a collection for all the fics with this AU so if you write something with this AU we can put them all together!


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This mf literally got embarrassed on the SMP by Techno and went and built a house for almost an hour before blowing it all up. My god Dream is going off the deep end lmao  
> 3k words.

Dream sat on top of a tree, leaves brushing against his leg as he looked over Manburg’s deteriorating wall. Since Fundy had officially left, they had stopped tearing down the wall, worried about an attack they knew was coming. This was the only tree tall enough to see over the wall.

“How bad is it?” Wilbur asked from down below. Sapnap, who was sitting next to him (close enough to feel the warmth) hummed in irritation.

“Not good.” The Blazeborn called back. “There's  _ a lot _ of people.”

Dream placed a comforting hand on his knee, turning back to Wilbur. "About as many as we suspected. There aren't any L'Manburgians fighting, though. They're clear."

"That's good, at least." He heard Wilbur murmur, and he tugged on Sapnap's sleeve, scaling down the tree. The Blazeborn was clumsy on the way down, and when he inevitably fell Dream had to catch him. 

"You're my hero, ice queen." Sapnap draped his arms around Dream's neck, and he would've found it funnier if not for the situation at hand. He allowed it anyway, purely due to the warmth.

They had a clear and easy plan to follow, really. They storm Manburg and either kill Schlatt or get him to step down. Either choice would make his vice president, Quackity (who was on their side) the new president. Then, Quackity would either rule better or he'd hand power over to Wilbur. Either one was better than Schlatt being involved. Quackity himself was a born, and he ran because he wanted L'Manburg to be better, just not in the way Wilbur saw it.

So yes, easy plan. He wasn't worried.  _ Not at all. _ His hand clenched, squeezing whoever's hand he was holding at the moment. Probably Sapnap, it was warm and he had just caught him. The born didn't comment on the deathgrip, so he relaxed it on his own.

He had just put the Blazeborn down when Manburg's gates opened and knights started marching out. They were passive, all lined up and forming a half circle around their troops. Pogtopia was horribly outnumbered, but it was humans versus borns, so Dream was confident.

The head knight stepped forward, coughing to clear his throat. "The king has sent his royal guard to stop this insurgence on our allies, covering the land of Manburg territory. Hand over the leaders of this alliance and no harm will befall the rest of you."

_ Humans. They think they’re above everyone else. Kill them all. _

He heard the Blaze Halfborn scream "screw you!" and the rest of the rebels laughed and jeered.

The head knight looked unphased. His eyes went over Dream and Techno before landing on Wilbur. "You fight with the kingdom's two most wanted, ex president. I cannot believe that you assume you are on the right side."

" _ L'Manburg _ is my home." Wilbur growled, and a few scales appeared on his fingers. "A place that's safe for borns with no place to go. I will always fight for it. As long as I'm alive, I will make  _ sure _ L'Manburg stays alive as well."

The knight huffed, drawing a sword. "Then you will die along with your home."

Tommy took that as a cue. Near the edge of the knight half circle he heard screaming, just in time to see Tommy hacking away at a surprised knight. The knight blocked, but then other borns were helping, and a fight broke out among them.

Sapnap squeezed his hand one more time before letting go and catching them on fire. He winked, before running forward, punching a knight right where his armor was. The metal plate melted on contact, letting his fist go through and burn the man. Dream turned away, taking out his own axe and running forward.

A born was fighting a knight, being pushed back, and Dream slid on the ground, axe digging into the knight's ankle and toppling him. He let the born finish him off, running to another born in trouble. A knight stabbed forward with his sword, intending to skewer the born, when Dream chopped the hand holding the sword, almost amputating it. The knight screamed, and Dream twisted, burying the axe into his side.

He saw Tubbo fighting a person a little bit away, and his pearl grew cold, teleporting him over. He hit the knight from behind, axe sinking into the back of his neck and killing him almost instantly. He didn't wait, immediately being teleported once again. He was suddenly back to back with Wilbur, the Siren Halfborn fighting three people at once, including the head knight. Dream blocked a blow aimed for Wilbur, kicking the knight back before chopping another knight's toes off. The man screamed and backed off, but didn't get far before his axe cleaved through his neck, separating his head from his body.

The knight he kicked yelled and attacked, glancing the meaty part of his arm with his sword. Dream twisted his axe, catching the sword and pulling it away. He picked it up in his off hand, stabbing forward and getting him in the armpit. The man staggered, and Dream finished him off.

He turned around to see how Wilbur was doing, just to see that several more knight's had come to block his way to the head knight, who was injured. He spun on his heel, ready to help, when suddenly Techno was there. He stabbed one through the neck before grabbing another's hand, his own hand black with wither magic. The knight screamed, clutching his hand, and Techno let go, grabbing another person before disarming someone else. He was a whirlwind of movement, his red cloak being the only indicator that it was actually him. In seconds he had 4 men on the ground, dead if not close. Wither magic usually isn't deadly, but he's sure Techno was putting extra into each person he touched.

With Wilbur good he looked around for anyone else in trouble when Techno grabbed his shoulder. He felt a slight sting of wither magic, but it didn't spread, the Witherborn holding it back. "We're very outnumbered." He said, pulling Dream back as he stabbed forward, catching a knight that was about to skewer him. "I'm running out of juice. So are the others."

"Yeah-" Dream tripped another knight, grunting as he brought his axe up and down into someone's skull. "I know."

"We can't lose this."

_ "I know." _

Techno was gone after that, his point having been made. Dream knew what he had to do, if it came down to it. At least, this time, he had more control.

He turns his head as he hears a familiar shout. George is on the ground, shield protecting him from the lance trying to skewer him. The knight holding the lance grabbed it with both hands, pushing down. The shield creaked in warning, little splinters of wood splitting off. It wouldn’t last much longer.

Dream dove forward, tackling the knight around the waist. The man fell to the side with a loud grunt, and Dream dug his sword in between his plates of armor, the blade sinking into flesh just above the base of his neck. He gurgled for only a second before dying.

Dream got up, helping the human hunter. "You good?"

"Yeah-" George's eyes widened.  _ "Watch out!" _

He turned just in time to feel something very fast and precise catch the side of his face, giving him whiplash in how fast he spun to the side. He caught himself before his head hit the floor, and something clattered to the ground.

Wind brushed against his face, and he realized what.

_ His mask. _

"George." His voice came out in an urgent whisper, and the hunter was by his side in an instant. Dream bent down, picking up his again broken mask. It was an arrow shot- one that was meant to go through his cheek, but instead bounced off his mask and grazed it instead. It most likely saved his life but it broke the mask in its place. "As fast as possible,  _ please, _ find Tommy and make sure he puts some type of tinted glasses or goggles on."

Looks like what he discussed with Techno earlier was becoming true.

George came into his field of view. Dream slapped a hand over his eyes, but soft hands removed his grip and when he looked George in the eyes he wasn't angry. He was already prepared, wearing goggles. “You got this.” The man nodded, eyes glancing over him once, before turning and rushing away. 

Something flew overhead and Dream pushed himself against the floor, trying to keep as close to it as possible. His face was mushed with the dirt as his eyes stared at the brown tones beneath him.

Right now, the only humans on their side were George and Tommy. Niki was back at the base, and any human L'Manburgian would be indoors- they knew the rules when it came to Enderborn. They'd be okay if he went feral.

Why shouldn't he, actually? He had the thought earlier. If they were about to lose, him taking off his mask could be a big advantage- it could easily turn the tide. Techno had brought it up earlier. It'd make them understand why Enderborns were number 1. But then George's words came back to him,  _ one nut job and you're slaughtering a whole village.  _ He remembered the fear on Tommy's face, and he didn't want to do it anymore.

Now that choice was taken from him,  _ again. _ He couldn't stay here and not fight. He would take George's goggles, but while they work when he's wearing them, they'd do barely anything for an Enderborn. They need special enchanted masks to block it- masks that parents usually made for their kids. He was stuck in between a rock and a hard place right now.

"Dream." A hand grabbed his shoulder, pulling him up to his knees. He met Wilbur's eyes, the man kneeling in front of him. "Both Tommy and George have goggles on, and they're in the way back of the group. Tubbo's here, he could fix your mask if we give him enough time. Are you sure you want to..?"

Of course he didn't want to, but this was a part of him and it was time that he accepted it. He's hated it for a long time- ever since his sister destroyed that hunter. He's been  _ scared _ of it, and that can't last much longer.

He nodded. "Make sure Tubbo is ready to snap me out of it." Enderborns are usually some of the only things that can stop a feral Ender. "And try to stay away from me too. Halfborns may upset me, so stay behind my carnage and- don't think of me too differently, please."

While Wilbur has already seen him change, he hasn’t seen the kind of damage Dream  _ knows _ an Enderborn can produce. He hoped none of his  _ friends _ would ever see that.

Wilbur's smile was soft. "My kind eat human flesh, Dream. If you don't hate me for that, I could never hate you for something you couldn't control, either. Techno and Sapnap know what's about to happen, they'll be near you the entire time. Trust yourself, and don't worry."

That was kind of hard not to do, but something in Wilbur's voice made Dream relax, and he wondered if the siren part got to him somehow.

Then he saw a knight behind Wilbur, trying to sneak up on them. 

The knight's eyes were brown. He could see them, looking at him.

The knight came closer, arm raised and sword ready to swing down.

A black clawed hand shot out, passing by Wilbur and going through his chest and armor like it was paper. The knight gasped, gurgling as blood spilled from the hole in his chest and down his lips. The bloody arm retracted back through the hole. He collapsed, dead.

**_DON'T LOOK AT ME!_ **

He roared, something loud and animalistic as his body changed. The battle paused for a second as the king's knights as one turned to the sound.

_ They looked at him. _

**_THEY LOOKED AT HIM!_ **

The tar black skin around his hands crawled up his arms again, but this time it covered his entire body, his entire face, and something deep inside him squirmed, trying to be released, trying to be set free.

It was held back last time. Held back by the rationale that  _ wouldn't _ let go, that wouldn't stop telling him that he was fighting  _ Tommy _ and he  _ couldn't that was his friend a child- _ but this time it was silent. Not gone, but quiet, watching and waiting and  _ wanting blood and gore. _

He crouched, hissing lowly. The knights glanced at each other, obviously terrified and confused. Dream took the chance, darting forward faster than they could keep up. The first one he caught by the head, moving so fast that the whiplash snapped the knight's neck on impact. He threw the limp body with the force of a catapult, squashing the knight the body hit.

They were staring now, almost frozen in fear.

Staring.

_ Staring. _

**_"DON'T LOOK AT ME!"_ ** He screeched and attacked again, hands jabbing towards the next knight's face. His strength and speed was too much, and all he managed to do was cave the  **_Loo-_ ** knight's head in. The next  **_Looker_ ** he actually was able to do what he planned to do, clawing the knight's eyes out before snarling.  **_"STOP THE LOOKERS!"_ ** _ Protect them all. _

An axe cut dangerously close to his arm and his two new arms grabbed the  **_Looker-_ ** knight in question, one hand grabbing his ankle while the other grabbed an arm. He turned  _ behind you _ to face the next  **_Looker_ ** as his arms pulled the  **_Looker_ ** behind him apart. The next  **_Looker kill the Lookers-_ ** leveled a shield at him and he screeched again, taking out his claws and tearing at the shield until the wood splinted off and there was no barrier between him and the  **_Looker._ **

Another **_Looker_** came close, and Dream went to **_attack Looker don't look DON'T LOOK-_** when a Blazeborn **_warm hot warm safe friend warm WARM-_** stepped in, eyes alight with flames. The knight roasted from inside the suit, and Dream went along for the next **_Looker_** _their stares burn_ jumping on one and slamming his hands into their helmet, taking it off before clawing at their face _I don’t like them looking_ **_don't look don't look DON'T LOOK-_** until all that was left was a mushy red mess.

There were still more.  **_More Lookers._ ** He slashed and cut and killed and maimed and there were other borns with magic and wither and fire but  **_more Lookers_ ** _ protect everyone _ **_kill them all_ ** _ kill them all  _ **_don't look DON'T LOOK_ ** _ it burns  _ **_stop the Lookers can't look don't look_ ** _ stop them  _ **_stop stop stop LOOKING-_ **

A hand grabbed one of his extra limbs, cold and small, and he spun around, looking into blue eyes **_Looker- no, child-_** and he paused, confused to why **_child_** was here was **_child safe_** _protect them all_ ** _protect child keep from harm Lookers were here_** _Tubbo_ ** _Lookers harm child protect protect protect-_**

_ Kill all the humans. Kill them all! _

**_"They're gone, Dream."_ ** The, the,  _ Tubbo _ whispered softly, grabbing his real hand  _ it was so cold _ and holding it with both of his own.  **_"The Lookers, they're gone."_ **

Dream paused, blinking with wide, acid green eyes. He looked around, ignoring the battlefield of bloody corpses.  **_"Gone?"_ ** He asked.  **_"All Lookers gone? Safe?"_ **

**_"Safe."_ ** Tubbo agreed, holding out a  _ mask that was his  _ **_his_ ** _ mask  _ **_protects from Lookers_ ** _ it was broken Tubbo fixed it-  _ **_"We're all safe. Mask now."_ **

His extra limbs took the mask from his hands  _ put it on  _ **_but Lookers_ ** _ it’s safe- _ placing it in his own real hands. Slowly, he brought the mask up to his face, and the black spindly extra hands tied it around his head. The arms disappeared, sinking into his back.

They were safe.  **_Lookers were gone._ **

**_They weren't needed anymore._ **

Dream blinked, stumbling. Someone caught him before he fell, and he squinted, a headache starting up. People, his friends were surrounding him. Was he covered in blood? Dazedly, he looked around to find himself in a battlefield of some type. It was bloody and gorey and what could have done-

Oh _ no. _

_ Oh yes. _

He quickly glanced around, relieved beyond anything to see that all of his friends were there and okay. "Did I..?" He trailed off, feeling ashamed with himself. Tommy had to of seen that, had to relive the fear he had probably felt the first time something like this happened.

"That was awesome!" Dream's head snapped up at that, confused. Tommy grinned. "You were, like,  _ everywhere at once!  _ You went from one guy to the next faster than Techno!"

Techno snorted. "I wasn't trying my best, pipsqueak."

"Sure you weren't." Tommy pointedly ignored that, and were they not upset? "Dude, you  _ deserve _ that number 1 spot on the borns board, that was  _ incredible." _

What was going on? Why didn't they hate him?

_ Why would they hate you? You killed them all. They deserved it. _

"I-" Dream paused, feeling sick for a second. "I don't…"

"You went 'feral'." Bad said in explanation. "We all knew it was going to happen, so we were prepared. Now the entire army is gone, nice job."

He had killed  _ dozens _ of people and they were  _ congratulating him? _

He must've hit his head or something.

_ They deserved it. _

"You guys.." he paused. Embarrassed, he switched to Ender.  **_"You aren't mad at me?"_ **

**_"No!"_ ** Tubbo and Bad said at the same time, and Techno nodded his agreement.  **_"'Course not."_ **

Well, that was good, Dream guessed. He tried to ignore the strong smell of blood wafting from the ground, tried to ignore the sting of magic in the air, tried to ignore the  **_Lookers._ **

"We did it." Wilbur smiled, drawing the attention off of Dream. "With L'Manburg back, the king knows he has no control here." The ex president turned back towards his people.  _ "We're free!" _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think one of the reasons I've made a slow burn cuddle fic is cause I'm touch starved myself and it took me literal months to build up the idea of cuddles in my head lol. That's to say, you all will love the next chapter, and you deserve it after all the shit I've put you through <3


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I've had a shit day and I sat down to write this (which I had been avoiding due to writer's block) thinking that boy oh boy this was going to be an angsty chapter but then I thought "you know what fuck this! Fuck this and fuck my mood imma write the most fluffiest shit I've ever written because screw you" so yeah that's what this is. This turned into a goddamn cuddle fic and I don't give a fuckin shit anymore I'm vent writing right now.  
> 2k words.

The newly reclaimed L’Manburg immediately rejoiced, and Wilbur didn’t even have time to give a speech before people were cheering and partying, and the ex-president allowed it, strumming on his lute when someone handed it to him. The crowd surged around him, and Dream got swept into it, letting a smile grace his face as a new festival started up. The battlefield was left behind as they made their way into L'Manburg. Dream went with his friends and Quackity to find Schlatt, but the man had vanished, sneaking off during the fighting.

The coward.

With Schlatt gone, Quackity was made president in everything but officiality, which could wait. Wilbur was the first to run off, still holding his lute, smiling wildly as he went to entertain his people.

He finds himself back at the table he sat at during the last festival. The hunters sat with him. George was already a drink into his night, somehow, and Sapnap was hopping around, jumping up and down and most likely causing a disturbance. Dream laughed as Tommy appeared behind the Blazeborn, shouting something about ‘children having to stick together’ and Sapnap started chasing him around, like they were playing tag.

“Hope he catches him.” Tubbo appears by his side, sitting down and pawing for his cup of liquor. He lets the kid have a sip before pulling it away. "He needs to feel the burn."

Dream laughed, which was barely hearable over the clatter of the crowd, Wilbur's singing, and Tommy's screams. "You did good today, Tubbo. You kept civilians safe  _ and _ stopped my rampage."

"You know me." Tubbo's grin was one full with pride. "I'm a rampage stopper, you know. Certified and everything."

"Like how you're a lawyer?" George joined in, words slurring slightly, and when had he heard that joke? When had Tubbo had the time to tell him?

"Yes yes yes!" Tubbo nodded enthusiastically. "I can lawyer you so hard you'll never get out of debt."

He didn't bother trying to explain what was wrong with that sentence. "Really, though." He said, getting serious again. "You did a lot.  **_I'm proud of you."_ **

It took him a second to translate, since the Ender word for 'proud' could also mean 'rainbow' depending on the tone, but when he did he smiled. "Thank you."

Dream wrapped an arm around him in a side hug. Tubbo dropped his head onto the Enderborn's shoulder, smiling contently. He was probably exhausted, Dream knew he was.

A few minutes passed as Bad, Dream, and George all chattered about anything and nothing at the same time, Tubbo occasionally adding his two cents. As time passes Techno joined them, followed by Wilbur and Niki, and then Tommy and Sapnap.

Tommy was yelling "Do it again!"

Sapnap grinned toothily, clenching his fists and bringing his arms up to his chest. His eyes flashed orange as his body burst into flames. His grin widened as he spreads out his arms. "Ta da!"

No one else was as enthused as them, but George clapped and Bad complimented him while Wilbur glared at his brother for causing a fire hazard.

Dream, on the other hand, was close enough to feel the warmth. He tensed to stop a shiver, since Tubbo seemed to be falling asleep. The heat was deliciously warm, though. He loved the feeling. "Nice."

The flames suddenly disappeared, and Sapnap playfully rolled his eyes. "Of course  _ you _ like it, Frosty."

Dream snorted but didn't rise to the bait. He didn't need to, as Sapnap basically dove for the open seat next to him, not even hiding his excitement at the prospect of being at a normal, human temperature again. The ex-hunter practically draped himself on to Dream's other side, somehow not jostling him enough to wake Tubbo up from his drowsy state. The heat he emitted washed through him in a wave of bliss.

"How does it feel?" Wilbur looked at them, eyes trained on Dream. "Sirenborns are a bit colder than normal, but not enough to draw attention. How's it feel to heat up?"

"Human." Dream said after a moment of thinking, because there really was no other way to describe it. "It feels human."

It was weird. He had a distinct hate for most humans- for what they did to borns and their greediness and selfishness, but he also would give just about anything to be one. It was in his blood, and it annoyed the everloving  _ hell _ out of him, but there was nothing he could do about it, was there?

Besides, there were good humans. He has to remember that fact,  _ he has to, _ because when he forgets he gets angry. He gets vengeful.

He wants to _ wipe them all out. _

_ Do it. They deserve it, Dream. _

The other borns nodded, but Tommy just did an over dramatic frown. "Huh? Why do’ya want that?"

Dream snaked his free arm around the Blazeborn's waist, sneakily pulling him closer. The heat seemed to steam, and even his pearl started to warm up. "You know how cold I am, Tommy. How hot Sapnap is-" he ignored the whistle from drunk George and Sapnap's giggle because  _ damn they were immature.  _ “-and you know we're made to mimic humans."

"It's like missing something very important to you." Techno added, and Sapnap copied Tubbo (who was now asleep), laying his head on his other shoulder. "You feel empty without it. Once you find it, you feel complete."

The human wrinkled his nose. "But it's just  _ heat." _

"Ah you idiot." Wilbur muttered, and Tommy squawked at him. "Not all creatures are warm blooded, Tommy. Most creatures aren't, actually. While it's not a specifically human trait, having a consistently warm body temperature is  _ very human. _ How'd you feel if your mind said that you're a human but your body kept showing you otherwise?"

"The one thing we're better at." George giggled, fingers twiddling and twisting Bad's hoodie sleeve. "We can regulate our body temperature. Beat that, dragons!"

"Dragons can do that." Bad interjected lightly. "You're thinking of wyverns."

"Oh."

Tommy laughed, hand hitting the table. He went for Dream's drink, but the man pulled it away. "Comeon, you let Tubbo have some!"

"Tubbo isn't completely human." Dream said, finishing the cup. "It works differently for Enders."

He couldn't answer, since Sapnap let out a deep breath, close to a snore, and Dream turned to look at him. He was knocked out. "Well then."

He's not really surprised, to be honest. Setting his entire body aflame probably took a lot out of him.

George spits out his drink and starts losing it, laughing harder than he'd ever seen him. Bad and Wilbur, on the other hand, were simultaneously chuckling and cooing at the scene. He stuck out his tongue at them.  _ They’re just jealous. _

"Well, it's been a fantastic night, gentlemen." Wilbur stood up, moving to Dream's side of the table and picking Tubbo up, since Sapnap might be too hot for him. "I'll be retiring for the evening. You should see the guest rooms before I leave." He looked at Dream, face pinched for a moment. "Your room was trashed."

"It's fine."  _ He was mad. _ He really liked that room- it was one of the only places he felt completely safe. "I'll just get a guest room."

Wilbur nodded, moving back, and Dream went to wake the Blazeborn before deciding  _ screw it  _ and picking him up instead. Wilbur led them to his house, stopping at the second floor to drop Tubbo off before bringing them to the third. "Each room has two beds. I'm guessing-?" He looked between Dream and Sapnap, and Dream shrugged. He didn't care, if they had extra blankets ready. "Alright. There's extra blankets in the closet, Dream. Night lads."

They returned the farewell, and Dream said goodnight to Bad and George, the latter barely awake and drunk off his ass. He moved to his room, looking at the two large beds there. It'd be a mega bed if they pushed them together. He knows Tommy and Tubbo used to do that when they had sleepovers. He quickly trashed the thought, placing Sapnap on one bed and letting him make himself comfortable as he walked to the closet.

It was overflowing in blankets, and Dream picked a few favorites, dragging them back with him to the other bed. He dumped them on the original comforter and unfolded them all. After that he finally got into bed (no use starting the furnace- that’d be rude to Sapnap), shifting under the multiple blankets. He was tired. Exhausted, even.

He was out before his head even hit the pillow.

He wakes up and he's  _ warm. _

Warm. The type of warm that makes humans sleepy and drowsy and gives them a dopey smile as they cuddle into whatever that warmth is. Something very human opened up inside him, and he moved closer, wrapping arms around the warm…  _ thing _ (body, most likely-  _ Sapnap, _ most likely), humming in content.

He should probably make sure the body is what's warming him and the house isn't actually on fire or something.

He blinked, blearily opening his eyes. He was correct in assuming it was the Blazeborn- he had climbed out of his own bed and into Dream's.

The born had cuddled in close, head resting against Dream's arm and touching his chest, right over his pearl. Every time he breathed in his black hair tickled Dream's nose. He wrinkled said body part, shifting slightly before realizing that  _ he _ was also to blame for this entire thing. His arm was wrapped snugly around the Blazeborn's waist, nice and warm, and his legs were tangled with the other's. He yawned, and Sapnap mumbled incoherently at the sound, digging his face farther into the last pockets of cold in his chest. 

The extra fur blankets and wooly comforter had been pushed off the bed, and for once Dream didn't feel like he needed it. He feels like he might be more surprised if he was awake, but it made sense, either way. Sapnap seemed like the cuddly type, and he doubts he ever gets the chance, since humans would find him too hot. It was the same for him, but he had long since gotten used to it.

_ Warmth. _ It was such a human craving- at least, he feels so. It was a human craving, an animal craving, mobs and magical creatures didn't need  _ warmth, _ they could survive in the coldest depths or hottest peaks. Why would a race evolve into something that craved things so trivial?

_ Because they won. _

He hadn’t understood when his mother first said it, but of course it made sense now. Humans were cruel and greedy and selfish. Their loyalty could be bought and nothing was sacred to them. Of course borns would adapt to be like them- it was the only way to survive.

But it backfired.

He should be upset, having to be like something that hurt so many of his kind. He couldn't, though, because he's seen the good in them. They're paradoxes- some are greedy while others are selfless, some are traitors while others are loyal, some are cruel while others are kind. Some are cold, some are hot, some are just warm. There were good humans, just like there were bad borns.

He had to remember that.  _ He had to. _

_ They’re all rotten on the inside, Dream. Don’t let them trick you. _

He sighed softly, shutting his eyes to clear his mind. It was still dark outside (he could hear the festival too, which means it's only been a few hours at most), and he was barely keeping himself awake as it was. Sapnap murmured in his sleep, upset for some reason. One of his free arms wrapped around Dream, tugging him closer before staying there, content. Dream didn't fuss, warm and hazy and _ safe. _ His eyes started drooping shut, and he allowed it, falling into oblivion.

  
  


He wakes up to soft giggles and he groans, annoyed, burying his face into the hair of whoever he's holding.

Oh, right, Sapnap. Literally his _ only _ option, besides Tubbo, maybe. That didn't feel like this, though, even with the Ender bond.

Dream's never felt so  _ normal _ before, so  _ human. _ He wanted to stay there forever, wrapped around the portable furnace that was the Blazeborn. Sapnap seemed to feel the same way, as he muttered a short go away before shifting even closer to Dream, head resting over his chest. Over his pearl.

Which was… normal. His pearl wasn't cold, it was  _ warm. _ Warm! He was completely warm! He brushed his fingers against Sapnap's bare arms- he was warm, but not  _ Blaze _ warm. No, he was human warm. They were both  _ normal. _

They had evened each other out.

He stifled a giggle, beyond giddy at the prospect. The sleeping born hummed as his chest vibrated, turning his head and digging his face deeper into his chest, as if chasing the last pieces of cold he had left.

Then he remembered someone else was in the room.

He opened his eyes fully, looking around. Bad stood at the closed door, the most amused smile he's ever seen on someone's face. He groaned, turning away again and tightening his grip, not letting his heat source go away. He's spent so long cold, he doesn't want to lose it again.  _ "Go away. _ Sleeping."

"I wish I could leave you two to it." Bad's voice oozed amusement. "But Techno wants to talk to you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm having, like, hella writer's block a few chapters later in this story, and I'm also hella tired and having family problems, so, maybe another break? My b <3


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not back to normal uploads yet but I'm getting there <3  
> 1.5k words.

Bad leads him downstairs and out of Wilbur's house. The sun hasn't risen yet, so it's much too early to be doing this. He left his heat source behind, this better be important.

He made it three feet into the new building before realizing something.

_ He's still warm. _

His body was  _ still warm. _ Yes, he could feel himself cooling, but it was  _ slow, _ his pearl having to cool itself before cooling the rest of him. It might be the same for Sapnap's blaze rods. He was warm!

A grin broke out on his face. "Bad, touch me."

Bad gave him a strange smile as he held out his hand, but he still took it. He looked shocked for a second. "You're… what? You feel like a human. But Sapnap's- how long does this last?"

"Dunno!" He grinned dopily. "From what I feel, probably half an hour or so, so let's hope this meeting takes less time then that!"

He  _ was _ still tired, after all.

The building he had been brought to was the government building, and Wilbur and Techno sat in the meeting room, discussing something. "There you are." Techno stayed seated, nodding to the open seats. "I thought you'd like to know what we plan to do next."

Dream sat down, slightly confused. Next? L'Manburg was safe and his bounty was gone. "What else is there to do?"

"Well, we gotta kill the king, for one." Wilbur said casually, and did Dream hear him right?

"What?"

"We can't let him continue like this." Techno explained. "We might have L'Manburg back, but there's still a chance that he'll attack, especially if he hears you're here. He might even make a new bounty. With him gone and no direct heir, the capitol will be too busy to worry about either of those things."

_ He’s a bad human. He deserves to die. _

"It does make sense." Bad said slowly. "I don't think a man like him should have so much power, anyway."

"Alright." Dream said. "So we go assassinate the king. I'm guessing you want my help?"

"No."

What?

"No?"

"No." Techno said again. "I can go do it, I just wanted to make sure you were informed.  _ You _ should stay here and rest and recover."

Dream snorted. "I'm fine. All healed up."

"We don't mean physically, Dream." Wilbur said, eyes dark and serious. "You seem to forget that other people can understand Ender. You… you're worrying us, Dream. The panic attacks, the breakdowns… we're really worried,  _ Tubbo's _ really worried."

"A break would be a good idea." Bad agreed softly. "You told me you've been going non-stop since you were 15. Take a break before you pass a point of no return."

He can't believe he's getting a lecture at 5 in the morning. Their words were true, yes, but he  _ was _ fine. He'll adapt and overcome, like normal. When he leaves he'll be ready for the next challenge-

When he leaves…

He doesn't need to leave.

_ He doesn't need to run anymore. _

The thought hits him like a horse and he almost loses his breath. They're looking at him, knowing that it's finally clicked in his mind, and  _ he doesn't have to run anymore. _

He could stay. In L'Manburg. With Tubbo. He could join Sapnap and George and Bad and travel and explore. Break Ant's curse and finally beat him up for shredding his favorite socks. The opportunities were endless and  _ open, _ he had a  _ choice. _ "I-"

"-need to take a break." Wilbur finished for him, smile tugging at the end of his lips. "Let us deal with the king."

He-

He's really tired. Warm and tired, and he honestly loves the feeling, because he's warm and tired  _ and safe. _ He's not scared of someone coming to drag him away. If they do, they'll have hell to pay, and that made him warm and safe and  _ he's tired. _

"Ok." He says finally. "When are you leaving?"

"Ten minutes, give or take." Techno crossed his arms, taking a second to take off his mask. He rubs the sockets where his eyes are meant to be. Dream stared into the abyss that is the wither. Techno doesn't put the mask back on. "I think it's fitting- the last Witherborn destroying the last of the bloodline that destroyed his kind. Poetic, in a way."

"I'm on it." Wilbur started strumming an air lute, humming. Scales started creeping up his neck before he was cut off.

"Yeah, anyway." Wilbur stuck out his tongue, and Techno ignored him. "I should be back by the end of the day."

It takes a day or so to even get to the capitol, but he knows Techno has some secret creature or spell or  _ something _ that gets him places fast. He just nods, standing up. "Good luck, I'm going back to bed."

Wilbur makes a joke he  _ knows _ involves Sapnap just from the tone, and Bad cuts in, saying Dream feels like a human, temperature wise. Both Wilbur and Techno get up at that, reaching out to see for themselves. Not much time had passed, so he was still pretty normal, a little warmer then Wilbur but colder then Techno.

"You know what? I take it back." Wilbur smiled, genuinely happy for him. "That's great. I can't imagine how nice it feels."

"You found something to complete you." Techno clapped his back, red pinpricks staring at him. "Good job. You still can't best me, though."

Dream laughed, pushed him away, and left. Bad trailed after him, and they made light conversation the way back, staying quiet in the sleeping country. Once they reached the house they tiptoed back upstairs.

He paused on the second floor, thinking about Tubbo. He knew the kid was fine, but he's also always cold and while it wasn't that bad he felt a little guilty, finding something for him while Tubbo still had to cope with just blankets. He also always bunks with him in L'Manburg, and now he isn't just because he can't help himself-

"Stop." Bad grabbed his wrist. "I don't know  _ how _ you can ooze so much self hatred while your face is covered. Whatever your thinking, stop. Tubbo's fine- he's got blankets and furnaces and Tommy and I'm pretty sure there's a hellhound wandering around that he cozies up with.  _ He. Is. Fine. _ Now go focus on yourself, for once in your life,  _ you muffin head." _

He blinked, surprised. "Yes mom."

They got to the third floor and split up. He took a glance in the other guest room to see that they had, indeed, formed a mega bed, and George snored. Laughing at both those facts, he said goodnight (good morning, whatever, it doesn't matter, he's going to sleep until 6 of the _ next _ day-) and left him.

Sapnap was still dead asleep, but he had kicked all the blankets off the bed, leaving only the sheets. Dream, still overly giddy about being warm, smiled, picking up the blankets and folding them, putting all but one away. The one he still had -the thinnest one of the bunch- he put back on the bed, over the Blazeborn. He climbed back in,  _ tired, _ and immediately the Blazeborn woke up, nose scrunched in drowsy irritation. "You _ left." _

"Not for long, don't be a baby." He shifted closer in silent apology, letting his chill wash over the other. Sapnap, the affectionate fucker, pushed past it and went straight back to how he was before, curled into him. He doesn't understand boundaries, does he?

Why is he pretending like he cares? He's  _ warm, _ fuck boundaries.

He wraps his arms around the other born. This time he was on his back, which meant Sapnap was draped across his side, using his chest as a pillow while his arms hugged the rest of him. Dream couldn't complain, really.  _ It was warm.  _ "You really like affection."

He hummed. "Never really had it before." He murmured. "Kinda hard when you're surrounded by humans and you burn them. Bad was there but I never really got to try.  _ And you're cold." _

"Yes. And you're warm." Dream laughed. "We've been over this."

The younger man wrinkled his nose at him. "Okay, okay, I'm a whore for affection, you got me,  _ now cuddle." _

He laughed again, pulling the other closer per request. The Blazeborn hummed in appreciation, already half asleep again. "Good.  _ We're sleeping in." _

"Well duh." He snorted, feeling the heat sink back into his bones. He smiled blissfully.

"And take off that mask." Sapnap's hand undid the tie for it. "It'll be more comfortable, you know."

Dream frowned. "But George-"

"Is not an idiot. The goggles aren't just for his vision, dude." Sapnap yawned, throwing the mask onto the other bed. He was right, of course, sleeping without the mask was  _ much  _ better. The born let out a little snore, and Dream wasn't surprised he had already fallen back to sleep.

Dream sunk into the mattress, relaxed and safe. He was so  _ warm, _ so  _ happy, _ even  _ his pearl _ seemed to vibrate in content. He drifted off, blissfully content.

The next time he wakes up the king will be dead. 

The next time he wakes up he'll be a new kind of free.

The next time he wakes up he won't have to run anymore.

The next time he wakes up he'll be safe.

The next time he wakes up he'll be surrounded by friends and family.

The next time he wakes up he'll be  _ warm. _

At least, that’s what he thought.

_ He should've known better. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HA HA HA THIS WAS ORIGINALLY THE END OF THE FIC BUT THEN I THOUGHT ‘I CAN DEFINITELY FIT MORE ANGST INTO THIS’ I ADDED THOSE LAST TWO LINES KEPT WRITING AND OOOF DARKNESS INCOMINGGGG.  
> Also another story with this AU called Fierce Protector by A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell is now in the collection! If you write a fic for this AU make sure to add it in that collection!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mega chapter! I just took two chapters and slammed them together lol. It's real heavy in, well, everything. Updating early so it doesn't interfere with the streams today <3  
> 5k words.

Dream again woke up before dawn broke.

His head was kind of hazy and he was groggy, warm and comfortable even though his shoulders felt stiff for some reason. His mask was back on, weirdly. Blinking blearily, he looked around, eyes searching for the window in his room.

Where… where was it?

He tried to sit up, but there was a clinking of chains and he jolted, heart starting to race. He was tied up, back to back with someone else. They… they were in L'Manburg, it's…  _ it's safe, right? What was- _

He heard someone groan behind him, and it sounded like Sapnap but he couldn't be sure. His body still felt like a normal human, and so was the person he was tied to. "...huh?"

That was definitely Sapnap's voice. He jerked, mind still a flurry of confusion. They were sleeping- they were sleeping in a room 3 stories up not two hours ago what was going on?!?

He took a deep breath, looking around. They were in a covered cart, he thinks. The sounds of horses stomping their feet came from outside, as did other voices. Shouting, he thinks. They were familiar voices. How did they tie them up, they weren't that deeply asleep, right? It had to be a potion, he did feel like he had taken something too strong. "Sapnap?"

"Dream?" The Blazeborn sounded almost delirious. "I thought... we were sleeping?"

"We were." Dream confirmed, mind clearing the longer he was awake. "Someone came in and brought us here, wherever here is. Do you see the lock on the chains?"

There was shifting behind him. "Yeah, it's basic. What about it?"

Before he could answer, he heard shouting outside the cart. "You can't do that!"

That was Wilbur, wasn't it? "The king most certainly can and will. Not only are they both property of the capitol, but they participated in your treasonous little  _ rebellion." _ The deep haughty voice of someone he didn't recognize spoke up. "In fact, where is the king's champion? Your  _ brother, _ if I'm correct?"

Wilbur's voice sharpened. "He's a L'Manburg citizen first and foremost, you can do nothing-"

"Well, that was before he not only committed treason, but was also  _ ousted as a Witherborn." _

Everything went quiet. Dream dug his wrists into the lock, fiddling with it until he found the key hole. Not many chains like this had a basic lock that he could pick (they were either too complicated or he never had time to try because someone was watching him), so he should be able to get it unlocked. He was taking out his claws when another voice spoke up.

"I'm right here." Techno. He panicked a little, because  _ they knew _ and the only way they would know is if one of the king's knights saw him fight and lived to tell the tale. Did that mean they had seen Tubbo too? Where was he, actually? "Now what are you trying to accuse us of? Firstly, neither I, nor Dream or Sapnap are citizens of your kingdom, and the battles we fought had nothing to do with your country. You have no grounds to arrest them, you have no grounds to even  _ be _ in L'Manburg."

There was a click and the lock unlocked, releasing him and Sapnap. He turned towards the Blazeborn, bringing a finger up to his lips. Quietly, they went to the entrance of the cart, peeking out.

They were in town square.  _ Surrounded by knights. _

It was almost as many as they sent to defend Manburg. Everyone he knew was out too, barely seeable as a sliver of the sun rises above the horizon. Tubbo stood with Bad and Tommy, staring at the cart like he was barely stopping himself from teleporting over. He felt bad for making the kid worry so much. Wilbur stood in front of them all, no longer the official leader but still one in everyone else's eyes. Techno stood next to him, fierce and  _ angry _ as they talked to the knight on horseback.

He looked around. While none of the knight's were looking at them they wouldn't be able to sneak out without being seen and maimed.

The knight laughed suddenly. "I don't think you've read up on old laws, Blade." The knight brought out a scroll and read from it.  _ "Written by the Royal Born researcher. Due to the dangerous offenses these 10 borns can cause, the king has proclaimed a no tolerance rule against their powers. If any of these borns use their powers (wither magic, siren singing, and fire summoning, for example) or go feral they are to be detained and sent to the capitol immediately. If that is not possible, then they are to be killed on sight." _

He suddenly felt cold.

Everyone knew of the top ten dangerous borns list. It was posted  _ everywhere, _ on boards and in schools and sheriff's offices. People even made books about it. They never showed the rest of it, though, he didn't even know that there  _ was  _ more. And for it to be that…

_ Humans, they trick and deceive you. They deserve to die. _

"Now, my two eye witnesses said they saw a feral Enderborn, wither magic, fire summoning, and a siren singing yesterday, all  _ outside _ the walls of your country." The knight was smug, wearing a shit eating grin that Dream wanted to tear off his face. "As a matter of fact, you're under arrest too, Soot."

The Siren Halfborn's face took on such a state of shock that it surprised even Dream. Horrid fear flashed in his eyes for a moment, and Dream remembered that he had been held in the capitol's castle before,  _ as a kid. _ He couldn't imagine what he was thinking.

Techno had had enough.

There was the sound of a sword unsheathing, and he could see Techno in front of Wilbur, big brother mode activated. "Not happening."

"Ah, Blade." The man laughed again. "You and the Enderborn are safe due to your status, until we reach the king. So we can't kill you, but your brother is fair game. How about we make a deal instead?"

Techno's eye twitched and Tommy was suddenly next to him, looking ready to fight himself. "What deal?"

The knight ignored the new addition to the group. "Wilbur is freed, and you come with us, peacefully."

Dream didn't have to see his face to know that he'd do it in a heartbeat if he thought it was the only way to keep Wilbur safe. Dream wasn't there when Wilbur was recovering from his first imprisonment, but Techno was, and he knew he'd be darned to let it happen again.

A familiar zap of cold went through his chest, and he grabbed onto Sapnap. His gut jerked and flipped and he was suddenly next to Tubbo, like his pearl was searching for a kindred spirit. The boy in question yelped, jumping away from him and into George, who screamed.

The knight looked at him, sighing like he was just making this more difficult. "The same goes for you and your Blaze toy, Dream. You might be safe, but he sure isn't."

Dream ignored the toy comment (dude can he not just  _ cuddle a homie?) _ and looked at Tubbo. He was obviously very agitated, and it was showing through his eyes. They were getting brighter and darker, somehow. They looked a bit purple, like Endermen's eyes.

He had an idea.

_ Kill them all. _

"I'll go with you." He said, surprising  _ everyone _ on his side. "But I want to talk to my brother for a second."

He would be worried about the knight's connecting the dots if Techno, Wilbur, and Tommy weren't all brothers, showing that brother didn't always mean by blood. Tubbo passed as human anyway, so they should fly right under the radar.

The knight nodded and Dream crouched down, whispering into Tubbo's ear. The boy's eyes widened, scared. "Dream, I don't-"

He placed a hand on their shoulder. "I know you got this. Don't worry, they'll love you. Just make sure you tell them about the borns."

Tubbo's lip quivered. "But you  _ just _ came back!" He protested.

"I won't be gone for long." Dream whispered, winking. With that he stood back up, stepping forward and raising his arms to be chained again.

"You idiot." He heard Sapnap mutter, right before George shouted and the Blazeborn appeared beside him, arms out and ready. "I don't know what you're doing but I'm not letting you do it alone."

Something warm started in his chest, even though he was still a normal human temperature. The knights finished chaining them up and one grabbed his arm, jerking him away from the others. His mind went back to the conversation he had a few hours ago- everything would've been good, if the king wasn't so fast. If he has just waited one more day, this wouldn't have been a problem.

"Alright, well now I'm curious." Techno took everyone's attention. "What's going to happen when we get there? You say we're safe until then, is the king going to gut us the moment we arrive?"

"Probably." Dream cut in, trying for a grin he really didn't feel, plan or not. "He tried that with me."

Tommy's fist clenched and Wilbur took a step forward, pissed off. The knight on the horse just shrugged. "That's between you and the king. Now, will it be one of you, or both?"

Techno stared at Dream, who nodded slightly. The Witherborn sighed, raising his hands up to be chained. He briefly wondered, while the knights did that, if Techno's ever had power dampening chains on before. If he's planned for that contingency before.

They were led back to the roofed cart, which then started pulling away from L'Manburg. They were silent- the other two obviously wanted to know whatever Dream said to Tubbo, but he couldn't say it now, not in front of everyone else.

The cart stopped, right at the gates of the country. Dream looked out the back to see why.

The man on horseback got off. He looked at the cart before turning back to the others.  _ "They are to be detained and sent to the capitol immediately. If that is not possible, then they are to be killed on sight." _ He recited, turning back to the others. Tommy huffed, obviously angry.

"You got what you wanted." He bit out. Dream's surprised he wasn't chasing after Techno- he wondered what the Witherborn said to get the human not to. "So just shut up and go away!"

"I made a deal." The knight explained. "That Wilbur would not be taken with the others to the capitol. It isn't possible. Which means-"

The knight moved, scarily fast. Before anyone could react he had taken out his sword and stabbed it through Wilbur's gut. The Siren Halfborn gasped, eyes widening as the knight stepped passed, pulling the sword out. "You must be killed on sight."

_ "NO!" _ Techno roared at the same time Tommy screamed, a loud, broken thing. The Witherborn jumped out of the cart, rushing through the group of knight's before being held back. That didn't stop him, though, and he kicked and punched and clawed even with the chains weighing him down. A knight hit him in the back of the head and he crumpled, awake but down. Dream watched the entire thing, frozen in shock. He couldn't see Wilbur anymore- he was surrounded by L'Manburgians and George and Bad. Sapnap was still next to him, eyes wide in disbelief.

The head knight took out a cloth, wiping the blood off his sword and sheathing it. He walked up to Techno and tisked. "I respect your loyalty and devotion to your family, I really do. If you ask me, it's better this way. A Sirenborn with his face? The capitol would eat him alive."

"Shut up!" Techno growled, jumping up to try and tackle him. The other knight's held him down once more. "You sick, twisted-  **_I'll kill you!"_ **

Dream blinked. That wasn't wither, he spoke in Ender. He knew Techno knew the language, but well enough to speak it? And why Ender and not Wither? It didn't really matter, because  _ Wilbur- _

_ Kill them all. They deserve it KILL THEM ALL! _

Another knight hit him again in the back of his head, and this time the Witherborn was out for the count. They dragged him back to the cart, pushed Dream and Sapnap farther back before throwing the unconscious born in. The cart started moving again.

Dream took one last look at his group of friends. They had moved Wilbur inside, meaning the place he was was empty, just a bloody spot on the ground.

It finally clicked in his mind.

Wilbur was _ dying.  _ Wilbur could be _ dead. _

A _ human  _ had _ killed _ him.

Almost as if psychic, Sapnap was suddenly there, holding him as he broke down, crying.

  
  
  
  


This time he was put in the born dungeon.

While it wasn't as bad as the regular dungeon it was nothing to freak out over either. This was the place where most of the 'pets' nobles had sleeped and lived whenever the nobles didn't want to deal with them for whatever reason. There were several other borns in different cells.

They were all quiet, and none answered him when he talked to them.

"Don't bother." Sapnap was in the cell next to him, leaning against the wall separating them. He had an arm hanging out of the bars, which was currently holding Dream's, who was copying him on the other side. He had long since lost his human temperature, and the entire place was cold. He was wrapped up in two blankets already, Sapnap having given him his own, but it still didn't compare to the Blazeborn. It didn't help that he was in short sleeves again- his hoodie and sweater were back at L'Manburg. "We're taught not to talk unless spoken to by our owners."

Dream's hand squeezed around the born's in silent comfort. His eyes dragged along the other cells- there were a few passive borns, a Dogborn, Pandaborn, even a Mouseborn, but there was also a Wyvernborn and a Ghoulborn. It was easy to tell, since they all wore short sleeves and Dream could see their markings. No one spoke except for them, leaving the entire place quiet.

"What usually happens after this?" Dream asked after a few seconds, curious. He was surprisingly calm, due to actually having a plan in mind. "Like, what do they do next?"

"Depends." Sapnap's voice caught for a moment. "They could auction us off to the top bidder, that's what happened to me the first time. They could execute us and throw us down the river, or they could take our pearls, rods, and skulls. Considering what I saw when I came to get you…"

Dream shivered at the thought. Sapnap felt it, reaching farther to try and give him more warmth. They couldn't do much though- they still had on the chains.

_ Fuck humans. Fuck them all. _

He flinches as that little voice whispers in his ear, and he wished he could say he didn’t feel the same way. Something in him had snapped, when those  _ humans _ had tried to take out his pearl at the castle last time he was here. Now it was just getting worse, and while he tried to remind himself of Tommy and George and Phil it wasn’t working anymore. The voice didn’t care. Wilbur getting stabbed, Wilbur being  _ dead- _ something changed, some switch in him flipped. He’s not sure he could flip it back, even if he tried.

It just wanted to kill.  _ He _ just wanted to kill.  _ Kill them all. _

"At least they didn't see Bad using demon magic." Dream murmured, looking on the bright side. "They didn't see Tubbo, either."

"The entire thing was bullshit, you know." Sapnap snapped suddenly, startling him. "Most of L'Manburg used their powers, they went after us four because the king had a bone to pick with us specifically. I killed a noble, you and Techno disobeyed him, and Wilbur's been actively hiding borns from him for years now."

_ The plan. Tear down the entire castle. _

At Techno's name he glanced at the Witherborn, in a cell opposite from him. He sat on his bed, staring at the wall in front of him, deep in thought. He hadn't moved for hours.

He felt like he might regret asking. "Techno?"

The Witherborn didn't answer, and Dream didn't blame him.  _ Wilbur had been stabbed. He could be dead. _ And here they were, stuck and waiting for judgement. Dream would be hysterical if he didn't have a plan.

Speaking of-

**_"You said you had a plan."_ ** He jumped at Techno's voice, rough and throaty. He was still speaking Ender.  **_"Tell me. I'll tell Sapnap- Wither and Blaze are basically the same anyway."_ **

He didn't know how much Blaze Sapnap knew, but he nodded anyway, telling Techno his plan, hopeing it would lighten his spirits, at least a little bit.

The born did smile after he finished, a twisted, cruel little thing.  **_"I can't wait."_ ** He said, malice dripping from his voice, and Dream thought he wouldn't have to wait for long.

_ Kill them all. They don’t deserve to live. _

He wishes humans hadn’t won. He wishes they had all  _ died _ instead.

A few hours passed. Nobles walked in and out, picking up or dropping off a born periodically. They were given food- stale bread and slightly warm chicken. His chains clinked and jangled against his arms as he ate, but he learned to ignore it. 

Before and after eating he worked on the lock for the chains, trying to pick them with his claw and coming up empty. He felt pretty close though when guards walked into the room.

To their cells. Sapnap, in particular. "The king is ready to pass your judgement." One said, unlocking the door, and _no_ _the guards were supposed to keep them together he can't lose him it's almost time-_

Sapnap followed them out of the room, completely silent. Dream stared at the door, worry pooling up in his stomach.

_ Find him. Before the humans kill him too. _

**_"How much time do we have left?"_ ** Techno called from the other cell, noticing his obvious worry and working to distract him. Dream didn't know, honestly, there weren't any windows or clocks to check.

**_"Can't tell. Enderborns don't have internal clocks."_ ** Dream said instead, crossing his arms.  **_"We're from the end, we don't need them. Like you and the nether."_ **

**_"Just asking."_ ** Techno raised his hands in surrender, and Dream turned away. Without the sun and the moon he was  _ terrible _ at telling time. Most overworld borns have a good internal clock- even humans do. End and nether borns, on the other hand, couldn't tell day and night if you put them in an enclosed room. He guessed the evening, since people have been going in and out of here for a while now.

Wait, evening?

As if on cue, the screaming started.

_ Kill them all... _

Dream grinned widely, scrambling up. There was a sharp cracking sound and then his ears were filled with soft murmurs of  _ child hurt safe child child protect safe safe child protect hurt them protect child- _ and he looked up, catching an Enderman's eyes.  **_"Hi, can you break these for me?"_ **

There were two others in the cell with him, and they all grabbed him, teleporting him a foot over and out of the chains instead of trying to break them. Across the isle Techno yelped and Dream turned to see the Witherborn patting his torso, teleported out of the cell by more Endermen.

The screaming outside continued. Human screaming. His smile was nasty. "Let's go Tubbo!"

**_"The other child told us that you were in danger."_ ** One of the Endermen informed.  **_"He told a lot of us. We could destroy the entire castle, if you so wished."_ **

**_"That'd be great."_ ** Dream tried to control his giddiness.  _ Destroy the entire castle. _ The thought made him inexplicably happy.  **_"Have you seen a Blazeborn around here?"_ **

The Enderman nodded, and Dream sighed. He had told Tubbo to  _ make sure _ the Endermen knew not to attack any borns- to be prepared for it.  **_"He was with a Looker- they seemed vengeful."_ **

Vengeful? That was worrying. He looked at Techno. "We have to find him."

_ Don’t let a human take another one of us. _

He thought the Witherborn would go straight for the king, but Techno just nodded, ready to follow his lead. He was probably still in shock- Dream didn't blame him.

The Endermen lead them to where they last saw Sapnap. All around the castle, Endermen were going feral, destroying blocks and killing nobles. He didn't try helping them- they deserved it. They got to their destination and Dream paused in confusion. They're in a... garden? He looked around, confused, before something black caught his attention.

A charred piece of wood. There were more scattered around, including black quartz. It almost looked like the foundation of a house. Dream looked up, gaging the empty park around them.

It was big enough to hold a manor. Was this… was this where the house Sapnap burned down was?

"Look." Techno nudged him, pointing his chin towards a short stone pillar. Dream took a step forward, seeing something engraved on it, some of the big letters chipped away.

_ To Sir H~~k~ _

_ A great noble and a loving father. _

Father.  _ Father. _

_ The owner had a son. A human son who wanted revenge. _

"We have to find him." He repeated. "Do you know if they have any Blazeborn compasses nearby?"

"I don't think that'll be necessary." Techno said instead. "We know what way they came from, and the person who has him can't go back into the castle, due to the Endermen. They're out here somewhere."

That was all Dream needed to know. He turned on his heel and bolted, hoping this park was enclosed or that it wasn't as big as it felt.

30 minutes. 30 whole minutes before he could find him. The Endermen had gone to either search or continue causing havoc, but Dream was just worried. He's put too much time and effort into keeping the Blazeborn alive, he couldn't lose it all  _ now. _

"You… really are a pussy." He heard Sapnap taunt, and he ran towards the voice. "Can't even fight me fairly, huh?"

"You don't deserve fair." Another voice, angry and violent, snapped. "You  _ ruined my life!" _

He crashed through the plants and landed in a clearing. There was a young man there, Sapnap's age, standing over the Blazeborn and holding a bloody stick. Sapnap was still chained up with dampening chains, and he looked rough. Bruises were forming around his face, arms, and neck, like someone had tried to choke him. His lip was split and bleeding, as was a cut on the side of his forehead. He was on the ground, clearly unable to get up due to his hands being chained. 

_ Humans did this. Kill them all. _

The other man scowled. "Away with you!" He barked. "This doesn't concern you."

"I'm pretty sure  _ it does." _ Dream almost snarled, taking a step closer. Sapnap smiled at him, as if he hadn't just been violently beaten up. He flinched in pain and whined shortly after. "You humans make me  _ sick." _

"He killed my father." The noble said, as if that made it all the better. "He deserves it."

"Your father was a dick." Sapnap retorted, and the noble yelled in anger, bringing his makeshift weapon down and across his face. Dream's chest went cold,  _ fast, _ and he was suddenly next to the noble, holding his arm and stopping the blow. His hands (when had they grown claws-) dug in before throwing him back.

_ Kill him. _

"You come near him again." Dream spat, something _ fierce _ forming in his chest. "And I'll kill you. Got it?"

He didn't get it.

The noble charged, angry and obviously too entitled to know better. Dream grabbed his weapon, yanking it out of his hand and throwing it away. Then he grabbed the noble by the throat.

His claws started sinking into his neck.

_ Kill him! _

_ "Last chance." _ He hissed, savoring the pained whimpers.  _ "Leave." _

The noble scampered away.

He made it ten feet before an Endermen teleported next to him, grabbing his head and dangling him off the ground. The noble made one surprised noise before the Enderman grabbed his body with it's other hand and tore his head clean off. The sound it made was ugly, something that he both wished he could forget but also satisfied him greatly.

_ He deserved it. Good riddance. _

Dream didn't care, going to his friend, fiddling with the chains for a moment before giving up and teleporting him out. The Blazeborn groaned, wobbly on his feet. He held his wrist close to him, which looked red and swollen.

Dream wished he hadn't let the noble go. "What'd he do to you?"

"I'm fine." Sapnap grimaced. "I've had worse."

"That doesn't make me feel any better, you know."

Sapnap ignored it, leaning against him. Dream took his weight without complaint, basking in his warmth and worried about his health. "What's going on?"

"I called in the Endermen." Dream wrapped an arm around his waist in support. "We need to find Techno and leave- they're all going feral."

The born's eyes widened.  _ "You didn't." _

_ Death to the humans. Kill them all. _

Dream's smile was one that sent shivers down other's spines. "They all deserved it."

They met back up with Techno and made their way through the castle. The corpses of nobles, guards, and Endermen littered the castle, and their shoes left bloody footprints in their wake. Dream felt abnormally satisfied. The screams were like music to his ears.

_ Kill them all. _

He felt like a monster.

He felt like a human.

Techno led the way, Dream supporting Sapnap behind them. They had a few unferal Endermen walking with them as protection. A guard turned down the hall, and an Enderman jumped him, biting his sword fingers off and sticking a clawed hand through his chest, bypassing armor. The man fell and they continued on.

Dream could smell smoke from a fire. He could tell it was spreading.

They reached the throne room, which was oddly silent. There were no Endermen inside and no blood, as if there was no one inside when the attack started.

Or they were hiding.

"Come on out!" Techno called. "You have visitors!"

The Witherborn's voice was high and manic, as if he loved the carnage too. Witherborns did have bloodlust, after all. A small part of Dream feels like he should be worried- the three of them seemed to be enjoying themselves too much. Not to mention that when news of an Ender, Wither, and Blazeborn destroying the castle and killing the king comes out they might be in trouble. Nevertheless, his mind was a bit too preoccupied with _revenge Wilbur no be safe anger blood_ ** _death to the Lookers_** to really think too much about it.

_ Humans never cared about us, Dream. Why should we care back? _

"Techno!" Dream heard the king's voice from behind the throne. "Finally, you've arrived. I hope you've come to your senses- we need to leave immediately!"

The three borns looked at each other. Sapnap snapped his fingers and the throne bursts into flames.

The king screeches, diving away from the billowing flames. He looks at them, eyes widening before narrowing.  _ "You!" _

The Endermen behind them yelled in warning, the king's eyes getting too close to their own. Dream holds up a hand to stop them. He had control over a whole army of Endermen- the power was  _ intoxicating. _ "How the tables have turned."

His cage was still in the back of the room, pillows and blankets ruffled the same way they were when the guards dragged him out kicking and screaming. He doesn't know why the king hadn't moved it yet- but for whatever reason it made his blood boil.

"Oh, do you think this is justice?" The king spat. "Killing an unarmed man in cold blood?"

"Why not?" Sapnap growled. "Humans have done much worse for much less."

_ Humans are despicable. Kill them all. _

The king scoffed. "Borns are humans too, just a different type, stop-"

The Endermen screeched behind him, enraged that the king would dare call an Enderborn  _ human, _ after all the carnage and destruction they've caused all Enders. Normally, Dream would take the comparison positively. Now, he wasn't so sure.  **_"He speaks lies."_ **

"He does." Dream agreed. "But it doesn't matter anyway. He's just trying to buy time for someone to show up and rescue him."

"Speaking of." Techno's mask had disappeared, taken by the guards when they were captured. He never realized how unnerving those black voids can be. "Where's that captain you sent out to get us?"

The king looked pathetic.  _ A fat, ugly, shameful human being. _ "If I tell you, will you promise not to kill me?"

"Sure." Techno shrugged, but the other two said nothing. "Why kill such a pathetic creature anyway? You wouldn't even make it fun."

The king, the stupid man he is, nodded enthusiastically. "Good, good! I sent him home as a reward- he has a manor just outside the castle gates!"

Techno's smile was cold and harsh. "Thank you." He glanced at Dream, turning around. "Have fun."

"We'll meet you there." Dream promised as Techno walked away, uninterested in the king's demise. Dream didn't blame him, he had a bigger target in mind. The king meant nothing in comparison to what that guard did to Wilbur.

"Wha-t?" The king sputtered. "B-but you promised-"

"We promised nothing." Something particularly vicious settled in his pearl, and he was suddenly up close and personal with the royal prick. The king gasped as he grabbed him by the throat, throwing him to the ground. "You brought this on yourself." He spat. "You and your father."

"B-but-" the king was crying, ugly fat tears rolling down his face. "-but I stopped the decree! I took back most of the compasses! My father was bad, but I’m not him!”

“I can’t believe you can say that with a straight face!” Sapnap growled, moving to stand next to him. His eyes were orange, and when he grabbed the king’s arm he left a burn. The human screamed. “You lying piece of scum! You didn’t recall the compasses nor did you stop the decree for anything but your own gain!”

The king sobbed as Dream’s grip got tighter. “P-Please…”

Humans were scum. Little shitstains splattered around the earth. This one was the same, just bigger and uglier. Dream hated even being in the same room as it.

_ Now you’re getting it… _

_ Kill him. Make him suffer. _

**_..._ **

He turned, looking at the Endermen.  **_“Make it hurt.”_ ** He threw the man at them. The king hit the floor and slid to stop at their feet.

They tore him to _ shreds. _

**_I..._ **

Good.

_ Good. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really do appreciate all the support, even if I do torture you <3  
> To recap- They were captured, Wilbur was stabbed, Tubbo called Endermen, the castle is under Ender siege, Dream is hearing shit, and the boys are very bloodthirsty.
> 
> Also I hope that in the Jan 6th streams Tommy brings together the entire SMP to go against Dream and Techno (and Phil) and then they lose because Tommy low-key doesn't deserve to win, it'd be a cool semi plot twist to have the 'protagonist' lose, and I've been WAITING for Dream Techno team up. Also I think Dream blew up the common house which *chef kiss* wonderful idea! Let's give Tommy and Tubbo their last canon death! Let's blow up the server! They can make a new one on 1.17 and the lives can be reset or something.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There will be much angst before happiness, but there will be happiness, I promise <3 Also thank you so much for 2000 kudos <3 <3 <3  
> 2k words.

He wondered if this was how it felt. The power- knowing that with a snap of your fingers you can destroy a city- kill off an entire population. He wondered if this was how humans felt. 

Because humans could do this, they all could. It didn’t matter who you were- the richest of nobles or the poorest of farmers, you could do this. It was simple, too.

All you had to do was find a born civilization. No matter the time- before, during, or after the Genocide Decree. You find one, you tell the right people, and then  _ you’re _ the cause for that place’s destruction.  _ You’re _ the reason they all die.  _ You _ have all that power.

_ Use that power, Dream. Kill them all. _

  
  


The castle was burning.

The Endermen had all cleared out, leaving on his command, back to wherever they came from. Once they were clear the fire started to billow, and he watched. He watched it go up in flames. Watched as Sapnap ran around, eyes glowing and manic as he lit the entire place up. The flames crept close to him, enough to warm him but not enough to hurt. He ignored it, watching the fire creep over bodies and sizzle blood with its heat.

They’re dead.

_ There’s more. Kill them all. _

He sighed, ignoring the voice in favor of grabbing Sapnap. He was hot, hot enough to hurt, but Dream ignored it. “We should catch up to Techno.”

Sapnap also had that look in his eyes, as if he felt the same way Dream did. That humans had done only _ evil, _ and they  _ didn’t deserve to live anymore. _ He wondered when that switch had flipped for the Blazeborn.

He wondered if all borns had that switch.

He wondered if it was something else entirely.

_ Kill them all. _

“Think I could burn down the entire capitol?” He asked, walking through the fire as Dream hopped from one safe place to another, teleporting every now and then. The fire was so hot, he couldn't even feel his pearl’s coldness.

He felt like a human.

_ You’re not a human. _

Yet he felt like one. He was made to mimic one.

_ Because you lost. You aren’t losing now. _

_ Kill them all. Return to how you once all were. _

“I wouldn’t.” He said instead. “There’s borns and good humans in the capitol.”

“Good humans?” Sapnap arched an eyebrow, skeptic. Dream was about to agree with him, where had that even  _ come from, _ when-

Wait.

“George?” He asked, and Sapnap blinked, surprised,  _ like he had forgotten. _ “Tommy? The humans in L’Manburg?”

“Oh.” His voice was small. The fire around him seemed to dim. “Oh, yeah.”

Something was wrong, wasn’t it?

A guard ran from another room, sword out and ready. Dream forgot about whatever he was thinking, mind going straight to the  _ human. _

_ Kill them all… _

  
  


They weren’t able to catch up with Techno before he arrived. The place stank of Wither magic, and he could see gnarled black corpses on the ground inside, emancipated from Wither magic.

Good.  _ They deserved it. _

They found Techno fighting the man who stabbed Wilbur- if it could be called fighting. Techno had disarmed him and was beating him to a bloody pulp. He didn’t even look human anymore.

_ He deserves it. _

He deserves it.

_ Good. _

They waited, standing around and letting Techno beat out his emotions. Something deep inside of him clenched and rolled, making him feel almost sick. It was quickly followed up by satisfaction, though. They had just  _ destroyed the castle, _ they had  _ killed the humans.  _ The _ king. _

_ They'd get the rest of them soon enough. _

**_… I-_ **

His head snaps over to Techno, who stands up and turns around. He's covered in blood, red lights in his eyes large and bright- a sign of bloodlust. The Witherborn cackles, kicking the destroyed corpse away from him. "How's the castle?"

"Burning." Sapnap grinned, eyes looking like fire themselves. "They're all dying."

_ Good. They deserved it. _

"Good." Techno's grin was too manic too, and Dream wondered briefly if he could hear the voice as well. If Dream somehow made it spread. "They deserved it."

  
  


Techno's method of transportation is a horse.

Dream looks at it questionably. "Uh, what?"

They stood in a clearing a little bit away from society. Without the ever looming presence of humans Dream felt better, felt calmer and more at peace. He was still buzzing from destroying the castle though, from  _ killing the humans. _

"Hey." Techno said, voice dry but amused. "Don't diss Carl. He's faster than a dragon, you know."

"Oh really?" Sapnap went to touch him before pulling back, remembering how hot he was. "Sorry bud, but I don't believe that."

"He can handle you. We'll be back in L'Manburg in a few hours." Techno's voice hid his emotions, but Dream couldn't imagine how he felt. Wilbur was stabbed in the gut- it's hard surviving something like that.

_ It's because of humans. _

Dream ignored the voice (he had gotten used to it, in the past few hours. It made some good points) in favor of reassuring the Witherborn. "Bad knows some healing magic, and Wilbur's stubborn. He'll be fine."

Techno didn't look convinced, he did nothing but grunt, jumping up on Carl. "Try not to topple him."

Dream got behind him, with Sapnap in the back. Techno gave them enough time to settle in before hitting the reins. Carl snorted at him, trotting off like a show horse.

Dream laughed. "Very fast, Techno."

"He's showing off." The Witherborn said with a grin. "He's into theatrics."

Sapnap snorted right before Carl really took off, darting through the trees at breakneck speeds. Both of them yelped, grabbing onto the person in front of them as Techno laughs. Carl makes a sound that is vaguely similar to a laugh as well.

Then wings are unfurling from his side and he jumps off the ground, flapping them until they're high in the sky, zooming past birds and clouds and  _ what?! _

_"You got a Pegasus?!?"_ Dream shouts, completely baffled. He didn't even know they were _real,_ much less that Techno _had one._ _"No way!"_

"This is  _ sick!" _ Sapnap laughs behind him. "I'm tasting the clouds- egh!  _ How is there a bug all the way up here?!" _

Dream and Techno burst out laughing, ignoring Sapnap's sputtering. "I told you not to diss Carl."

"Seriously though, how?" Dream was so very curious about this one. "I didn't know pegasus were real- are unicorns real?"

"The fairytale ones or the scary ones?" Techno asked. "Trick question, they're both real. Never go into a roofed forest at night, by the way. They're not chill."

The conversation drifted away and Dream relaxed, looking around the skyline. It was easy to forget everything that had just happened up here. It was nice to forget.

_ You still have more to do. _

More humans to kill.

_ Don't forget. _

**_...I don’t-_ **

Dream blinks, looking around once more. Sapnap had gotten over his initial amazement and was now staring at the Pegasus' wings, either counting them or committing them to memory. Techno sat tall and looked straight ahead, guiding Carl. Dream sighed, leaning back on Sapnap while still keeping his hold on the Witherborn. He really didn't want to fall, considering he couldn't even see the ground up here.

"We still have a few hours left." Techno murmured when it was obvious that Dream was getting bored. "So buckle in. If you're lucky Carl may even do a barrel roll. Or unlucky, I haven't decided yet."

He did three barrel rolls in total. The first one made Sapnap scream, the second made him throw up, and the third did the same to Dream. Techno said nothing about it, thankfully. He didn’t know if he could deal with teasing on top of everything else that’s happened. Something felt really weird, deep inside him, but he couldn’t tell what, exactly.

They landed right outside of L’Manburg’s walls, and Techno didn’t wait for them. He jumped off Carl, ramming his way through the gates and into the country. Dream and Sapnap shared a look before following him.

Of course, he went straight to Wilbur’s house. Dream picked up the speed and ran after him, catching the door before it closed and slipping inside. He heard a choked gasp and followed Techno in Wilbur’s room.

The Halfborn in question was laid out on the bed, sound asleep. He had wrappings across his entire torso, little dots of red clustered around his stomach. His skin was pale and he looked restless, but he was  _ safe, _ he was  _ alive. _

Humans didn’t kill him.

_ But they tried too… _

He was  _ alive. _

_ They tried to kill him… _

**_I don’t like-_ **

Techno sat down next to the bed, silent. Something harsh left his throat, and he grabbed his brother’s hand. Dream stayed by the door, stopping Sapnap when he entered. He didn’t want to disturb the Witherborn.

“He’s alive.” Sapnap whispered, eyes wide in shock and relief. Dream felt something unravel inside of him, and he slumped on the wall, exhaling harshly. 

Can’t he just get a single day of peace?!

The door behind them creaked open, and Bad walked in, holding a potion in hand. He yelped, almost dropping it when he saw them. “Sapnap! Dream! You’re okay!”

The same thing that had unravelled before tightened, and Dream said nothing, looking back towards Wilbur. Sapnap stayed quiet as well.

Bad didn’t seem to notice. “I used my magic to check in on you- I saw what happened to the castle!” He ran up to them, both relieved that they were safe and beyond worried. “Please tell me most people got out safely! I have a friend who works there!”

Dream shared a look with Sapnap. Techno still sat behind them, uninterested in the conversation. “Were they human?” He asked instead.

Bad nodded. “Yeah, why?” He blinked, realization crossing his features. “But he wasn’t like the others, promise!”

He was a human. _ He deserved to die. _

“Most of the humans were killed.” Sapnap said, and Bad’s face broke, as if expecting that answer. It was Endermen, after all. And any smart enough not to look at them probably got eaten up by the fire.

“No…” The Halfborn was crying before he could say anything else, falling to his knees. “Not him! H-He… he doesn’t- the Endermen-  _ he didn’t deserve that!” _

He didn’t deserve that…  _ he didn’t deserve that! _

_ All humans deserve to die. _

“He was a  _ human.” _ Dream growled, clenching his hands.  _ “All humans deserve to die.” _

Bad went quiet, staring up at him, shocked. “D-Dream?”

“He’s right.” Sapnap muttered next to him. “All humans are filth, anyway.”

“Sapnap!” Bad snapped, jumping up. Tears still ran down his face, but he was angry. “How dare you! Both of you! You know you sound just like what you suddenly seem to hate, right? And what about George-”

_ “He’s a human.” _ Sapnap snapped, eyes blazing orange (or was that red-).  _ “He can go die too!” _

The room went quiet. Bad stared at them in shock.

His eyes widened, as if realizing something. The Halfborn turned and left, closing and locking the doors behind him. Dream didn’t care- he’d see their point of view soon enough.

_ Kill them all. Kill them all!  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So…. I may or may not have gone through and reread all ~800 comments and then cried because you guys are way to kind and nice and ahh tysm <3333  
> Also I like checking the bookmarks to see what people put for descriptions and there was one that just said "MMMMMMMM ME GUSTA" and bruh I died XD


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> George is here too. He'd like to say that he is not a pushover, thank you very much.  
> 2.5k words.

It’s been 5 hours. Tubbo had still not come to see him.

He huffed, wondering what the kid was up to. What was so important that he couldn’t bother to see Dream?

He was hanging out with Tommy, wasn’t he? That _human._

**_Child._ **

_Human._

**_Child!_ **

_HUMAN!_

Dream stomped around, breaking down the locked door and almost ransacking each floor of Wilbur’s place. All the bedrooms were empty, and Dream suppressed an annoyed growl. Where was he? Did he really like human company so much? He shouldn’t, _they all deserved to die._

When he left to look outside L’Manburg was quiet. It was an eerie type of quiet, like they were scared of something, scared of _him,_ and he thought that was ridiculous. L’Manburg was for borns, why would he do anything against that?

Sapnap strolled out after him, much more relaxed besides the fact that his arms were on fire. They left Techno behind, but who cares? He’s too worried about his brother to help them. “We should go after the Capitol next.” He hummed, hands in his pockets. “Get rid of the entire thing. Burn it all to the ground.”

_They’re humans. They deserve it._

Dream didn’t answer, beyond irritated. _Where was Tubbo?_ Nothing else mattered beyond that, _where was his brother-_

“Ey!”

Dream turned to the familiar voice and _it was a human._ George grinned at both of them, but it was strained and wary. The man had hunted him down, had tied him up and sent him gift wrapped to the king. He had shot him and chased him and _he deserved to die too._

**_No, wait-_ **

Sapnap growled, seemingly in the same boat. Whereas Dream hesitated, for whatever reason, the Blazeborn didn’t wait as he rushed the hunter. George yelped, dodging under a fireball and scrambling up. “He really wasn’t joking.” The human muttered, before turning on his heel and running away. Hesitation gone, Dream ran after him.

For once, he was the hunter.

_The power is delicious, isn't it, Dream?_

George was fast on his feet for a human, but he was prone to tripping which let Dream catch up very quickly. He took a sadistic pleasure in George’s eyes every time he saw them widen in fear, each time he got closer to the human.

Then a fireball brushed his arm, singeing his clothes as it passed him and barely missed George. He paused and glared at the Blazeborn behind him. “Watch where you’re shooting!”

“Get over it, you baby.” Sapnap grumbled, running past him, since George had taken the distraction to his advantage. Dream glared and continued chasing him.

The human led them out of L’Manburg, stopping at the river where Dream had washed downstream a week or two ago. The hunter gasped and panted, falling down near the edge. He was obviously exhausted.

“Okay.” He gasped, as if he wasn’t about to _die._ “So, what’s going on with you two? Bad thinks you might be possessed, but I just want to make sure.”

“Shut up.” Sapnap grumbled, hand catching on fire and forming another ball. “You deserve what you get.”

_Kill him. Kill them all!_

**_But-_ **

“That’s insane, Sapnap.” George scoffed, looking less scared and more incredulous now. “We’ve been friends for, like, _ever,_ why do you want to kill me all of a sudden?”

“You’re human.” The Blazeborn said as an answer, and Dream took out his claws.

_Make it hurt._

“I’ve always been human.” The hunter crossed his arms. “Bad was telling the truth, wasn’t he? Your eyes are red, you know.”

Dream frowned, turning to the Blazeborn. He was right, his eyes were red, instead of the brown or occasional orange they usually were. That was odd, wasn’t it?

_He’s trying to trick you. He’s a human, remember? Don’t trust them…_

_Kill him._

“Dream!” His head snapped to the side. Tubbo crashed through the treeline, huffing as if he had just run a marathon. “Don’t worry, I’m a certified Exorcist!”

_Oh good lord._

**_Child-_ **

“Tubbo, not now.” He couldn’t hide the creeping fondness in his voice. “Stay away from the human.”

“This is, like, a level 8 demon!” Tubbo said instead, nodding his head like he actually knew what he was talking about. “Maybe even a level 9! You know, my dad told me about this type, years ago. Not good, not good at all…” He turned to George. “We’re going to need some lapis and a few spectral arrows. Dream, I’mma need you to repeat after me-”

“Tubbo.” Dream cut him off, exasperated. “What… are you doing?”

The child grinned. “Distracting you, of course.”

Something heavy fell over him, weighty enough to make him crash to the ground. There was a grunt of surprise as it caught Sapnap as well, and Dream looked up.

A net. _A net._ A net a net a net _no no no no no-_

Feet appeared in front of his face. He took a deep, panicked breath before looking up, meeting Bad’s sad eyes _he trapped him there was a net the hunters were back no please he can’t no he can’t please-_ “I’m not too sure which one it’s tethered to.”

“It could be Techno.” Tommy’s voice rang somewhere behind him but _who cares please get this net off-_ “But he seems a bit less, uh, dedicated to the whole ‘kill all humans’ thing.”

“Because of you, most likely.” Bad explained, eyes going soft and sad. “Or he’s too worried about Wilbur to care.”

Dream, on the other hand, was dangerously close to full blown panic. Please… _just get this off of him!_

_Kill the humans._

The net was suffocating-

_Kill the humans and the others will free you._

He couldn’t breathe-

_Kill them._

**_No-_ **

He flailed, clawing at the net with reckless abandon. His eyes were blurry with what he thinks are tears, his movement sporadic. He misses several times, cutting himself instead. The pain is dull and hazy in his mind, he doesn't _care, the hunters are back-_

“Dream, calm down.” Bad took a step towards him and he flinched, mind back with the other hunters. He blinked, and suddenly he was in the castle, sharp knife coming down and cutting into **_his pearl-_ ** “I think it’s Dream. Demons can only enter a body when it’s under heavy stress, and the last time Dream was at the castle they tried to cut out his pearl. It would’ve been a perfect time for it to enter.”

_Lies._

The net-

His hands dug into the side of his face, piercing skin as his breathing choked and he gasped. Sapnap, who had finally figured out what happened, turned to him with a confused frown. “You good, Cold?”

He obviously was _not._

Dream opened his mouth, but all that came out was a ragged, broken shout. The Blazeborn next to him placed a hand on his shoulder, warmth sinking through his clothes.

For a second, he thought it was the hunter again.

Everything warped and changed around him, turning into that horrid clearing again. He was back with the hunters, the brunette standing over him and taking off his mask. He panicked and thrashed and shouted before stopping, going still. Why was he fighting? It was their own demise, really. And it would get him out of _this net-_

His claws scrapped against his mask as he tore it off his face, breathing harshly as fresh air struck his face. He looked around, trying to catch one of the hunters' eyes.

“Dream, no!”

He blinked, and the clearing disappeared. Tubbo stood in front of him, bloody fingers holding his face so that all he could see was Tubbo’s bright eyes. His mask sat on the ground underneath him and the net had been moved off of him.

The net was gone.

_You can kill the humans now._

The net was gone.

_Go, kill them._

It was gone it was gone it was gone-

_Kill them!_

**_Go away-_ **

He blinked again, taking a shuttery breath. Tubbo looked beyond worried, and in the background he could see someone holding a pair of goggles, giving them to someone else. His heart was pounding in his ears like a drum, he couldn’t think straight, couldn’t form the right words. So, he did what he always did when his second language failed him- he reverted to his first. **_“Wha- what… the, the net… why?”_ **

**_“Sorry.”_ ** Tubbo looked like he was stuck in between a rock and a hard place. **_“We didn’t know you’d pa-panic, but the net blocked the demon’s powers so-”_ **

**_“Demon?”_ ** He frowned. What demon? **_“What demon?”_ **

_They’re trying to confuse you._

Well they’re doing a great job.

_Don’t listen to them-_

**_What are you?_ **

_Don’t believe them-_

**_Get out-_ **

He clapped his hands over his ears, his head ringing. **_“It’s so loud!”_ **

Tubbo brushed off the blood, taking a step back. When he looked around, he noticed that the net was actually behind him- Sapnap was still under it, in fact. George and Tommy were wearing goggles, looking at him warily. They were human, so that made sense, at least. His brain was too hazy to recognize anything beyond that, though.

_Kill the humans. Do it now!_

Maybe when Dream can actually see and think straight, he will.

_No! Do it now!_

**_Don’t listen to him._ **

Ok, where had that other voice come from? He’s been hearing it more and more and while they all just sounded like him (his conscience, most likely. Like, what else could it be?) their tone of voice was _much_ different. In fact, he’s not completely sure the second voice is even speaking _human._

He groaned, locking eyes with Bad, who made his way up to him. Bad was a Demon Halfborn, right? Tubbo said something about a demon, maybe- “Help.”

“I know it might not seem like it, Dream.” Bad started off, grabbing his hands in comfort. “But we’re lucky this demon possessed you and not Sapnap or Techno. You know that book you borrowed from me? About the dangerous borns?”

_Don’t listen-_

**_Quiet._ **

“Yeah.” He squinted, even more confused, because what did that have to do with anything? “What about it?”

“The Enderborn is the only born that has a part of them dedicated to keeping friends and family safe.” Bad explained, voice soft and soothing, and his head stopped ringing as loud. The Halfborn took a deep breath. “You have a demon possessing you, Dream. I’m going to need you to push it out.”

A… A _what?!_

_Lies. All lies!_

He didn’t know demons even lived on this realm anymore! Why would one possess him, of all people? What?

Couldn’t he just catch a break? “I-”

“I’m pretty sure it’s connected to you, but it’s also spread its influence to Sapnap and Techno. That’s why we threw the net on you- to cut the connection between you three.” Bad continued, as if he thought explaining it would calm Dream down. “Remember that horror story I told you and Tubbo? About the demon under the castle who hated humans because they trapped him there?”

Oh _come on._ “Please don’t tell me.”

“It might be a different one.” Bad said quickly, squeezing his hands. “But most other demons don’t have both the hatred and the power to do what he’s done to you and Sapnap and maybe Techno, Dream.”

_They deserved it._

Ah fuck. Bad was right, wasn’t he?

“So you’re saying there’s a demon in my body right now?” Dream gulped, eyes wide. “He’s hitchhiking me.”

Sapnap snorted. Bad shook his head. “Not exactly. His conscience is with you, but his body is back at the castle. That’s how possessions usually work.”

“The castle is gone, though.” Sapnap cut in, frowning. With the net around him, cutting him off from the _demon's_ influence, he seemed completely fine again. Dream doesn’t know how he didn’t notice he _wasn't_ fine before. “And I _really_ wanted to destroy the Capitol. Would doing that set him free?”

“There’s a possibility.” Bad admitted. “There are few demons who can manipulate the minds of humans as well as he did, even less so when it comes to borns. The amount of power it must’ve taken to do so- I doubt he’ll be able to try again anytime soon. _If_ we can kick him out.”

_No._

**_He tried to kill Goggles._ **

George. Goggles isn’t even a word in Ender, how did they-?

**_Goggles. He tried to kill Goggles and the child._ **

_They deserve to die._

**_Endermen live forever. Grudges are useless when what you hate dies while you live._ **

_You are not an Enderman._

**_We are Ender. We are all the same._ **

Dream didn’t like the fact that he suddenly had an orchestra playing nonstop in his head. They've never spoken in his head before, as far as he can remember. Why now? Why can’t they just be quiet? Like before?

**_Rude._ **

Sorry.

“So, how do I push him out?” Dream finally asked, ignoring the violent surge of noise that rattled his eardrums. He’s surprised they weren’t bleeding. “It’s so _loud.”_

“I-” Bad paused, face pinched. “I’m not sure.”

Well _shit._ He groaned, grabbing his head. How does he kick a demon out of his head? That seems like a very difficult thing to do- _why him?_ Really, why is he the one that has to deal with all this bullshit, all the time?

_Because of humans._

**_Shut up already._ **

He’s right.

**_Good lord._ **

_It’s always because of humans. The king is dead, if you destroy the Capitol, all your worries will disappear._

Not quite sure about that one, though.

_Come on!_

**_Seriously, come on._ **

“I can hear more than one voice.” He admitted. “What’s the other one?”

“Your feral side, most likely.” Bad guessed. Dream frowned at that.

“It seems very against the demon, though.” He said. “Wouldn’t it want to destroy all the Lookers?”

“It’s both of your feral sides, Dream.” Bad looked at him, as if trying to drill what he was saying into Dream’s head. “One side is made to protect _you,_ the other is made to protect what you _love._ The demon doesn’t care about either. Remember what the book said?”

_‘When someone dangerous to them makes them feral, the two feelings combine into one, making them more intent on slaughter.’_

He guessed the one to slaughter was the demon, this time. It also explained why it was suspiciously quiet at the castle- it didn't care for any of those people. That still didn’t tell him how to kick this fucker out of his head, though.

“Sorry about this.” Tubbo appeared again, holding chains. The voices got louder. “But he could take over your head again if we don’t do something to stop his powers.”

That was… probably for the best. He sighed, raising his arms in compliance.

_No!_

Something _hot_ seemed to stab into his chest, tearing into his sternum and pearl with searing pain. He gasped and crumpled, the feeling getting worse and worse until white hot _agony_ dug deep into his chest. His pearl seemed to revolt, knocking against the bones holding it in place. It _burned,_ like lava, and then suddenly his whole _body_ was burning- a completely new sensation. He choked on nothing as it overtook his entire body, filling his senses with _pain._

The world around him went loud with noise, before his body jolted and he hit the side of a boulder, a sharp point sticking out and digging into his side as he fell. He slammed into the ground hard, groaning as his head knocked against the dirt.

What… what happened?

He had teleported, but his pearl… it's never done _anything_ like that before. It ached right now in fact, and he had a new feeling flowing through his bones- the feeling of being _watched._

The voices, the feral voices, were mad. **_MY PEARL!_ **

_‘This wouldn't have happened if you had just followed my lead.’_

Something hot and sharp wrapped around his pearl like a hand and he fell to the floor. When he had evened out to a human temperature with Sapnap his pearl had been warm and content, it had been nice. This, on the other hand, felt like fire was wrapped around it, destroying him from the inside out. His vision was going black, and it felt like he could see the form of _something_ standing in front of him.

"Stop. Please…"

The demon's voice didn't sound like Dream's anymore. It was darker, raspier, like it had inhaled smoke for thirty years before gurgling gravel. Something close to fear closed his throat.

_'We'll kill them all, with or without your help.'_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like the idea of the feral voice in his head having nicknames for his friends, like 'child' for Tommy and 'goggles' for Gogurt.
> 
> In this story Tubbo's father is CptSparklez bc that is my forever headcanon even though it does not matter AT ALL in this story I WILL TAKE THIS HEADCANON TO MY GRAVEEEEEE
> 
> Also, Closeted_Bookworm in Ch 14 talking about the demon… Chekhov's Gun ;) you guessed it too last chapter, damn your big brain


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pog through the pain guys.  
> 3.5k words.

It was dark when he opened his eyes.

He groaned, blinking up at the starry sky. His body was sore and it ached like a motherfucker- as if he had just run a one week marathon nonstop. His side hummed with pain, and he vaguely remembered hitting it against a rock earlier.

That didn't explain the half healed puncture wound on his shoulder, though.

He sat up, body protesting as he looked at himself. His clothes, his beloved hoodie and sweater were smudge and dirty and he was starting to believe they were magical, since neither had a tear or cut in them, even though he had at some point been stabbed. He looked at his arms, where his markings glowed normally. Strange- with his injuries they should be much duller than that. He sighed, confused, resting his head on his hand.

Wait.

_ Where was his mask? _

He jolted, eyes widening in fear as he looked around the ground near him. When he didn't see it he tore off his hoodie, checking the back for the telltale holes that would signify him going feral. He huffed out a breath of relief when there were none.

But… what happened, then? Where was he? Why was he out in the middle of nowhere without his mask?

The cool breeze of the night brushed past him, but he barely noticed, considering how warm he was. He glanced up at the full moon, trying to gauge how late it was by where the moon was in the sky. It seemed to be the dead middle of the night, which meant-

Hold up.

He was _ warm?! _

His hands instantly went to his pearl, because if he was warm then that meant his pearl wasn't getting cold. And if his pearl wasn't getting cold then his void Ender magic was jacked up somehow and that wouldn't be good at all. He splayed his fingers over his chest. Yep, the pearl was warm, but Dream could feel the chill trying to snake it's way out. So it wasn't broken, thankfully, but that just left him with another question.

Why was his pearl hot?

**_MY PEARL-_ **

He jolted, blinking. Something clicked in his mind and it all came running back. There was a demon. He hijacked his pearl he hijacked his  _ body _ get him out get him out-

As if waiting, he heard a chuckle inside of his head. ' _ Sleeping beauty finally remembers.' _

That was why his mask was missing. He had teleported without it. Dream exhaled harshly, waiting for the feral voices to come back and tell the demon off with him.

They never did.

_ 'Why would they? No one you care for is in danger, Dream, and you’re safe right now.' _

The sly little fucker. He not only managed to separate him, but by doing so he got rid of Dream's arguably _ best _ defence against whatever he had planned. Damnit!

He shifted, and the multiple bruises and cuts that littered his skin stung. What had happened while he was out? What did the demon do?

_ 'Look behind you and find out.' _

Dream turned around and wished he never did.

Fire. Fire and blood and _ death, everywhere. _

There was a little human village at the foot of the hill he sat on. It was engulfed in flames, which burned broken buildings and boiled the blood that laid on the ground. Dream gasped, wide eyed and  _ terrified. _

Had he, had he done this?

_ 'You bet. Took that body for a little spin. Sorry about the bit of damage, it's nothing fatal.' _

As if on cue his shoulder erupted into pain and he clutched it, sagging to the ground. That made his side protest, yelling angrily at him. He sank down, overwhelmed.

All those people...

_ 'They deserved it.' _

Shut up.

_ 'They deserved it.' _

Shut up!

Dream buried his head into his arms and held back a sob. An entire town, dozens of people-

And he doesn't remember any of it.

_ 'It was pretty boring, actually. Best not to remember.' _

"Leave me alone." His voice was wet with emotion. "Just,  _ go away, _ why- why- just _ please, _ go away-"

_ 'And let go of an almost perfect vessel? No, Dream. See, I like you- always in the worst of situations but you still look on the bright side when you can. It'll be entertaining to see you break.' _

Someone was screaming in the village. His hands came up against his will, pulling out a bow and arrow and notching it. Dream's eyes widen right before his body let the arrow loose. He didn't hear it hit anything, but he didn't hear any more screaming either.

"You're sick."

_ 'Such a fiery personality for someone so cold. Don't you enjoy the warmth, Dream?' _

"I feel like I'm suffocating in lava." He tried to stand, tried to move, but he still couldn't control his body. "Let me go."

There was a chuckle, and his arms fell, suddenly back in his control. He stood on wobbly feet, determined to go help those still alive in the village.

_ 'If you did I'd take back control and kill everyone you help. Better to leave them to fend for themselves then be near you. Besides, they know you're the one who did it- why would they trust you?' _

He hesitated, looking down at the ground underneath him. He could see the barest traces of the light from his eyes reflecting on the ground. Red. His eyes were red. Possession.

_ 'Besides, no one's going to survive anyway.' _

The thought made his heart twist. Reluctantly he turned around, instead walking the other way. "I won't let you do that again." He swore, but the demon just laughed.

_ 'Do what again? Kill an entire village? Leave no survivors? Like you're in any position to stop me. Watch.' _

There was a jolt of pain in his head before suddenly the big group of hunters were back, surrounding him. The leader was holding Tubbo by the throat, a knife near his neck.

"What a stupid kid, teleporting right in front of us." He laughed, and the others joined in. Tubbo shook in his grasp. "I bet his pearl is red."

The hunter's knife dove towards Tubbo's chest.

He screamed as they disappeared, like they were never there in the first place. Dream blinked, disbelieving. It felt so _real._ He shivered, the movement jarring his body. "Stop it."

_ 'I will- if you behave yourself.' _

"Screw you-"

_ 'Want to see Wilbur get stabbed again? How about you going feral and tearing off Tommy's head? Maybe we'll let Sapnap drown and overheat over and over again until he looks like a corpse. Or we could get George-' _

No. Please no…

_ 'Then behave yourself. Trust me, this is for the best. Humans deserve it.' _

He glared, but his voice was shaky when he spoke. "Stay away from my friends."

_ 'Everyone else can go burn in hell, though? You only care if they can be of some use to you?' _

He frowned. "What? No, that's not-"

_ 'But it is. You enjoy talking to Wilbur and like fighting Techno, so you're nice to their little human brother- not to mention your own brother is his best friend, for whatever reason. Their human father knows Ender culture and you'd do anything to learn more about it. And George? Well, Sapnap wouldn't give you the time of day if you were mean to him. You'd lose your warmth. Admit it, you're using them.' _

He didn't understand. That wasn't it. Of course it wasn't…

Right?

No, he's messing with Dream's head. That's all this was. Dream knows how he feels for others, he knows he cares. He won't let a demon tell him otherwise.

_ 'Believe what you want. We both know the truth.' _

"Yeah, the truth is you just _ slaughtered _ an innocent village!" Dream growled, forcing himself not to turn around. "All for what? A grudge you could never let go of? Get over yourself!"

Talons seemed to squeeze around his pearl, and he froze. He blinked, and Bad was there, looking at him with terror and  _ hate  _ ingrained into his eyes. He blinked again and the Halfborn was gone. The pressure around his pearl faded, and he gasped.

_ 'Behave.' _

Dream licked his lips, throat dry. He needed to find a way out of this. "You can't just continue attacking villages without healing me up afterwards. You know that, right?"

_ 'Increased healing factor courtesy of my possession. Give yourself a day or two. It'll take that long to reach the next village anyway.' _

He bit his lip. "But then I'll be exhausted."

_ 'You convincing me to delay my plans does nothing but prolong the inevitable, Dream.' _

That doesn't mean he wouldn't fuckin  _ try. _

The Enderborn stood, walking away from the burning buildings behind him. The night was quiet save for the crackling fires and the chittering bugs.

He couldn't let this continue.

_ 'You don't have a choice, dear pet.' _

  
  


The first day of travel was peaceful, surprisingly. Dream walked in silence and the demon didn't bother him, only speaking up to tell him which way to go. At first Dream wasn't going to follow, but then Wilbur was suddenly there, getting his scales torn off one by one and even though Dream knew it wasn't real he couldn't get the image _ out of his head. _

Besides that, though, the demon was quiet. Almost too quiet, really. He knew the demon was still watching, if his hot pearl had anything to say about it. Every now and then the hold against it would loosen and a familiar coldness would start creeping back, but then the demon would speak and the hotness would be back like it was before, fast and _ painful. _

Sometimes he could handle it. Sometimes he'd fall in shock. Sometimes he'd pass out for a few minutes.

It made him teleport once. His pearl seized and grew _ so hot _ it burned his insides before going _ so cold _ that the spit in his throat froze. He choked and flailed on the ground as his own pearl almost _ killed him. _

The demon just laughed. Dream hated him.

_ 'You'll learn to love me.' _

"That's never happening, you deluded psychopath." Dream hissed. "You're trying to kill all humans. You tried to get me to kill George, my  _ friend." _

_ 'When will you realize that you're not in control anymore, Dream? Your friends are worthless, just like every other human. Besides, you don't need them. You have me.' _

"Creep." Dream spat, fed up. "Thousands of years old and you still don’t know how to make friends? What, are you lonely?"

He didn't like how possesive the demon sounded, because if he could remember right, it also messed with Sapnap and Techno, and he didn't need the demon to go back for that at some point.

_ 'You try being locked up for thousands of years. And besides, age didn't matter as much back in my time.' _

"That makes you sound even worse." It really did, and Dream was starting to worry  _ even more. _ What hideous crimes did he do to get locked up? Did he even really  _ want _ to know? "Come on, the castle's destroyed, isn't that enough?"

_ 'Dream-' _

"Like, seriously, get _ over it! _ You're involving me in this mass killing spree that I obviously don't want to do- just get over it and just-"

The surroundings changed, and his arms were yanked up and behind his head, to the tree that materialized behind him. He gaped as the brunette hunter stood in front of him, too close too close  _ too close! _

She looked livid, but her eyes held sadistic amusement as she watched him thrash. "Learn your place, Dream."

_ She wasn't real. _ Dream gulped, trying for a brave face. "Let me go."

She scowled and changed, body turning black and smokey, kinda like Bad. This new person, a male (the  _ demon- _ ) growled, pushing him back even harder. The movement caused the net around his feet to slip over one of his legs. The added weight was enough to make him panic.  _ "Behave." _

Dream blinked to find himself back to where he was before. His feet had been moving the entire time- he wonders how he didn't hit a tree. The demon felt  _ close, _ as if it was waiting right underneath his skin, waiting for him to say something against it.

He didn't.

  
  


He was walking through a forest when something strange happened.

He ran into someone. Quite literally.

Dream, in his half dazed stressed state, didn't notice the other man. He fell on his butt, eyes widening before he looked at the ground, hand shielding his eyes. He didn't have a mask, if this was a human he might- "Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there."

A hand came into his vision, and Dream could see born markings peeking out from under his sleeve. Well, at least that wouldn't be a problem for him. He grabbed the offered hand, looking up. "Thanks-"

The man's face.

_ He's never seen anything like it before. _

It was absolutely _ covered _ in markings, with half of his face being the exact opposite color as the other half. His eyes were heterochromatic as well.

In a normal situation, he would've calmly asked the born exactly _ what _ he was. If he was in the right mindset, he'd be kind and respectful.

He was  _ not _ in the right mindset. He had a demon messing with his mind and he was absolutely _ overloaded _ in stress and guilt over what could happen and what did happen in the village. So, being in the mindset he was, he did the only thing his brain could think to do.

He screamed.

That startled the other man, and he screamed back. There was a second of shock on his face before he was gone.

He… he  _ teleported?! _

"W-what-?" He said aloud, apparently to no one because that man, that born, that  _ Ender _ was gone. Was that really an Enderborn?! He's never seen one  _ look _ like that before. It couldn't of _ just _ been an Ender- it had to have  _ something _ else, right?!

_ 'I'm not quite sure what that was, honestly.' _

Great, even the thousands of years old  _ demon _ didn't know. Fantastic.

_ 'It doesn't matter, Dream. It's obviously not coming back and you still have something to do.' _

Oh, yeah. He's walking towards a village. He's going to go  _ kill _ more humans. The shock from the strange born turned back into stress and guilt. He wished he hadn't scared the born away- maybe they could've figured something out, maybe they could've helped him.

He sighed, getting up and walking, back on track.

  
  


The second day was nowhere near as nice.

He woke up to bright blue eyes staring at him. "Dream!"

"Tubbo!" He picked the boy up in a hug, body tensing as he looked around. There was no hunters, Tubbo wasn't hurt, so this couldn't be a mirage. This was the  _ real deal. _ "How'd you find me?"

"I teleported." He said, as if it was obvious. "I was really worried so I just focused on you really hard and here you are!"

Dream smiled, thankful for the familiar face. "You have to help me get this demon out." He said after a moment. "It's destroying villages!"

Tubbo's face broke, a dreadful surprise sitting there. "That… that…  _ that was you?" _

Dream frowned, concerned. "T-the demon-"

"You destroyed an entire village?!" Tubbo tore himself away, eyes wide in hurt and  _ fear. _ "I saw that village Dream! There were kids! Babies!  _ You killed them all?!" _

A tear ran down his face- he's never been mad at Dream like this before. He reached out a hand. "Tubbo-"

Tubbo slapped it away, tears running down his face. "No!" He turned and ran.

Dream started, getting up to follow him, when his arms started moving against his accord, pulling his bow off his back and notching an arrow.

No.

No no no  _ no. _

He tried to scream, tried to warn the Halfborn, but his mouth was glued shut. His fingers released the arrow, which went straight through Tubbo's neck.

The child had just enough time to turn around and meet his eyes before he fell. They were filled with horror.

His body turned into black smoke as he fell.

Dream stared, disbelieving. His hands went slack, shaking at his sides as he stared at where Tubbo used to be. Nothing was moved, no traces of him left behind-

The shock turned into anger.  _ "You-" _

_ 'The look on your face! Priceless!' _

Dream's anger was pushing past the demon's control, flooding his veins and making him shake. Even his pearl was getting cold, against the heat of the demon. "Stop messing with my mind!"

_ 'But it's so much fun, Dream. What else are we going to do to pass the time? Don't worry, it'll get easier over time.' _

A few hours passed before he could see George and Sapnap walking up to him. He ignored them completely, knowing it was a trick. 

The two protested that, wondering why he was acting so hostile towards them. He got fed up, turning towards them. "Just leave me alone!"

The two hunters frowned, looking at each other. They turned and left.

A few minutes passed in silence.

_ 'They were real, you know.' _

Dream paused, eyes widening. No… he didn't believe that.

_ 'Believe what you want. I didn't make that up.' _

"You… you  _ liar, _ I don't believe you for one second!" He wished his voice didn't waver.

_ 'I didn't even do anything that time, Dream. You're pushing them away yourself. Finally realized you don't need them?' _

"Stop it." He sat down, tired of it all. "I didn't push them away, you tricked me!"

_ 'I wasn't even paying attention that time, Dream. That was all you. You decided to ignore them, you decided to be mean. You drove them away. What's it matter anyway? One of them was human.' _

Stay away from him. Dream couldn't even bring himself to stay it out loud, couldn't bring himself to do much of  _ anything. _ The demon could be lying, it could've been all in his head. But he didn't know, he couldn't tell-

"They would've tried harder!" He realized, grasping onto that fact because those two were  _ way _ too stubborn to just leave it at that. "They wouldn't have just left, not after everything! Sapnap broke into the fuckin’  _ castle _ just to save me! They weren't real!"

The demon in his head didn't answer, and while Dream wasn't sure how much of his own words he believed he knew it was better that the demon stayed silent. But still… he was curious. Curious about this being's powers.

He's never met a real demon before.

The thought leaves his head almost as fast as it appeared, because  _ no, _ he was not about to talk to the demon to figure it all out. No, he needed to find a way out. He needed to free himself.

But how?

_ 'Short answer is, you can't. I'm much too powerful for you.' _

"The… feral part of me seemed to shut you up pretty well." Dream pointed out, which was very true. Before that he was almost mindless, just waiting for another human to appear so he could  _ kill them. _ "Not that powerful then, huh?"

Something sharp pierced his pearl and he paused, clenching his teeth. 

_ 'Behave.' _

He grumbled under his breath. "That's not going to work forever, you know." He muttered. "Make all the mirages you want, force my pearl to teleport me around- besides that, you're weak. You can't kill me, you'll just be right back under the castle."

There was no answer to that. It was quiet for a bit, and just to prove his point, Dream turned from the direction he was going, going backwards and away from where the demon wanted him to go.

His left arm twisted sharply, his wrist snapping with a loud  _ crack. _

He couldn't even bring himself to scream. Falling to the floor, he clutched the limp limb and stared at it, disbelieving. The pain hadn't set in yet, but he could already tell it was  _ completely _ broken.

_ 'I warned you.' _

His stomach clenched, panging painfully and he realized he hadn't eaten in awhile. He had a few seconds of warning before he turned to the side and vomited bile. His wrist was numb, as if something was holding back the pain, even though his body was clearly reacting to it. The demon, most likely.

"I-" he coughed, spitting up the last of the bile.  _ "Why...?" _

_ 'Because you need to learn, Dream. Your life is no longer your own. Your mind, your body, it's all  _ **_mine_ ** _ now. The sooner you learn that, the easier this will be.' _

The demon seemed to back up in his mind, releasing the hold he had on him. With that, the block holding back his pain vanished. He had a single second to recognize it before he was lost in agony.

Distantly, he could hear the demon, whispering soothing lullabies and comforting words to him as the pain overwhelmed him, as if  _ he _ wasn't the one who put him in this whole situation.

He pretends like he didn't find comfort in his whispered words.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Ranboo quickly becomes one of your favorites so you add a little glimpse of him for fun.
> 
> Can you tell I wrote this during the 'Let's exile Tommy and then manipulate tf outta him' Dream SMP arc?
> 
> Oh, I also wrote a one shot called A Child's Fairytale. If you like my writing check it out, I guess. I might turn it into a full story later, depending on how I feel~


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1.5k words.

Tubbo was following him around.

The little Halfborn skipped around him, prancing like he was part of a play. He'd look up at Dream and laugh and joke and giggle like in the beginning, when they were on their own. He could believe it, too. Almost.

If not for the bloody arrow sticking out of his neck.

Tubbo never mentioned it, fussing over his wrist when he randomly appeared some time that morning. Dream let him, scared of what might happen if he didn't. The demon was always there, always watching, and he-

He…

_He was scared._ He was terrified of what it's done and what it could do. They'd be coming up on a new village, a village full of _innocent_ people, and he couldn't… he couldn't _do_ anything. He was _stuck_ and helpless and he just-

**_"Hey."_ ** This Tubbo only spoke in Ender, which just made him more upset. The demon was using his own language against him now, huh?  **_"That wasn't your fault, you know?"_ **

Another tactic, most likely. Try to make him relax around this nicer Tubbo just to take control at the last second and make it hurt even worse. He wasn't going to fall for it. Not after yesterday, when the demon hurt him only to comfort him afterwards. It was one time, he was vulnerable and he would've taken help from _ the king _ at that point. It meant nothing.  _ Nothing. _

He looked away from the mirage, continuing forward. Tubbo just skipped along next to him, blood dripping down his neck and into the grass below.  _ Drip, drip, drip. _ It was aggravating.

In the distance, he could see a town coming closer. He stopped walking, almost on instinct. "No."

_ 'Behave. _ '

The demon's voice was a low growl, something both angry and full of excitement, as if he couldn't  _ wait _ to slaughter a whole village. Like the fact that leaving no one to tell the tale was exhilarating to him. Dream clenched his jaw, taking a slow step forward.

The demon got bored at some point, and the fire that seemed to always surround his pearl nowadays enveloped it. He staggered to a stop, the pain startling him, before he blinked and found himself on a rooftop. Humans moved around underneath him, enjoying their day, and Dream instinctively clapped a hand over his eyes.

**_Lookers._ **

_ 'Oh, we'll have none of that feralness here.' _ The demon tsked. ' _ Too messy, too recognizable. How about you let me take control, Dream? They don't trigger you when I'm in the driver's seat, you know.' _

He almost snorted, before realizing that that could anger the demon. Did he really think he would fall for that?

_ 'I'm just trying to help. You don't want this all on your conscience, do you?' _

Tubbo appeared next to him, bending over the edge to look down at the people below. Instincts kicked in and he went out to grab the child, to make sure he didn't fall, before remembering that  _ he wasn't real. _

There was an itch on the back of his neck, and then his head was moving, forcing him to look down into the crowd of people, of  **_Lookers._ ** His hands moved to his side and stayed there, eyes wide and staring down. One person, that's all it took. One person to look up and see him. All it took was  **_one Looker._ **

_ 'You rethinking your viewpoint at all?' _

Dream twitched, sweat forming around his face at the thought of massacring these people. At least when it was the demon he could say it wasn't his fault, but if he went  _ feral- _ "Please don't-"

_ 'Which way, Dream? Tear them to bloody shreds or let me end them nice and quickly? I am the kinder person, out of the two of us, eh? Would they want a swift death or a tortuous one?' _

He was shaking from the strain of sitting completely still. His eyes were going blurry, but he could still see people mingle about. Every now and then one would look into the sky to check the time. They came  _ so very close, _ it was only a matter of time-

_ 'All that blood on your hands. What's going to happen when you come to bathed in blood and standing in a field of corpses, Dream? You could give them the easy way out with me, just say a few words. I'll make it extra quick, just for you.' _

Let the demon control him.  _ Give him power, _ instead of making him take it. Another thing to hold over him. Would he even be able to kick him out after something like that?

**_"Yes."_ ** Tubbo spoke up, smiling at him in a knowing way that set Dream on edge. He crouched down, rubbing a finger over a splotch of blood on the roof.  **_"It's a power play, nothing more, nothing less. He's just trying to break you. The question isn't how to save the village- they're dead no matter what you do. What you really have to decide is which option would leave you less scarred."_ **

Someone below them stopped walking. It was a little kid, holding a stuffed animal and looking every which way. Their head started to turn up, towards him.

He couldn't do it.

"Stop, _please._ You win." He huffed, and right before he met the kid's eyes he looked up into the clouds. He blinked, eyes blurry and teary from being open for so long. Underneath him, the kid skipped along. His voice cracked when he spoke next. "You fucking  _ win. _ Go on, try to satisfy the never-ending pit inside of you. Try to take revenge on those who wronged you  _ thousands  _ of years ago by killing innocent people now. See if that'll make you feel better, huh? Maybe then you'll realize that humans aren't the monsters here,  _ you are." _

He braced, waiting for the response, waiting for the pain. Tubbo stood in front of him, smiling brightly, as if proud.

The demon never responded. One minute Dream was there, and then the next it was dark and he sat in the middle of a pond, bloody water floating around him. He recoiled immediately, the Ender in him hissing, before realizing what happened.

The demon- he had killed them all, hadn't he? Torn it all to shreds. The child he saw earlier was dead.  _ It was so unfair. _

Anger bubbled up inside of him.

"You coward!" He hissed, glaring at everything and nothing. The water sloshed around him, soaking his already wet clothes. "Killing  _ innocent people, _ children who've done nothing wrong and honest people just trying to live their life! You're a fucking  _ monster, _ worse than any human I've ever met,  _ and I've met the king!" _

The demon was slow to answer, but when he did Dream froze, his voice dark and deep. ' _ How would you like to be almost drowned over and over again?' _

Tubbo appeared in front of him, just adding to the mess of red in the water. He shook his head.  **_"I wouldn't recommend. Water is just yucky, ew."_ **

_ 'I don't want to hurt you, Dream, but you have to learn.' _

Dream took a deep, ragged breath to calm himself. It was no use, fighting meant nothing. "S-sorry."

_ 'That's better.' _ It came out as a deep purr and Dream  _ really wishes _ he read up more on demons. He never thought to before because  _ why would he? _ but now it was coming back to bite him in the butt. ' _ I'll make a proper tool out of you yet.' _

Tubbo scowled at that.  **_"You know, I don't think I like him very much."_ **

That's funny, the demon making the mirage speak bad about him. He wondered if it was a trick of some type.

Tubbo didn't seem to care, continuing on.  _**"In all my years I've never seen an Ender have to protect themselves from themself. That's, like, the most human thing possible. I'm not a fan."** _

Now he was just spewing nonsense. Dream ran a hand along his bloody arm, trying to clean it. "Can I please be left alone?"

_ 'Hmm… what?' _

He forced himself to  _ not _ roll his eyes. "I'm sorry, ok? Can you please get rid of the mirage while I wash up?"

_ '...There's no mirage here, Dream.' _

Dream laughed, because this was either another trick or he was going crazy. "Yeah right. So my little brother isn't right in front of me with an arrow in his throat?"

The next time the demon spoke he sounded suspicious, which made Dream pause. ' _ What do you see, Dream?' _

He looked up, meeting Tubbo's eyes. The kid smiled, putting a finger up to his lips in silence. His eyes gleamed with something close to angry amusement.

"There's-" he paused, words stuck in his throat. "Nevermind, it's gone."

_ 'You sure? Don't lie to me…' _

"Yeah." He looked around, putting on a show. Tubbo just winked at him. "That wasn't you? What was it?"

_ 'Don't worry about it.' _

Tubbo laughed. Dream stared at  _ whatever _ he was in awe.  **_"Now, as I was saying."_ ** The kid's eyes gleamed, and he suddenly felt like he was in danger.  **_"We're in quite the predicament, aren't we?"_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;)


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dunno if anyone remembers when I was talking about college applications in my Gods and Admins story but I got accepted to my dream college yayyyyyyyyyyyy!
> 
> Warning for accidental self harm. He panics, basically.  
> 2.5k words

So the demon couldn't see Tubbo. And Tubbo wasn't Tubbo. Dream also had little to no control over his body and he kept killing his friends whenever they appeared.

He's going crazy, isn't he?

_ 'Crazy is a human word made to describe things they don't like. Embrace it Dream. Give in to it.' _

The demon had this fun game he liked to call "which one would hurt the most" where he'd summon up one of his friends and get them hurt or killed in the worst ways possible. Most of the time he made Dream be the one to do it. He knew it wasn't real, but it  _ felt _ real, and he would've lost it by now if it wasn't for Tubbo.

The  _ thing _ in question would scoff whenever a new mirage appeared, telling him ahead of time what the demon was planning. Dream asked him how he knew, and Tubbo just said that possession goes both ways. The demon sees Dream's mind, Tubbo can see his.

**_"He can't, though, understand or even hear Ender."_ ** Tubbo grinned cheekily.  **_"So switch over to that, yeah?"_ **

He did, and true to his word, the demon didn't notice whatsoever. He grinned, excited at the prospect of having something over him. As long as the demon wasn’t paying attention (which it normally wasn’t) he could speak and think freely in Ender with no consequence.

And now he could finally ask Tubbo.  **_"What are you?"_ **

Tubbo giggled, his tone saying 'you're so dumb, Dream'.  **_"You, duh. Forget about your feral parts already?"_ **

He blinked, surprised.  _ No way.  _ **_"Really? But- I thought-"_ **

**_"I was trying to explain it earlier, but you were a bit preoccupied."_ ** Tubbo crossed his arms, huffing.  **_"Two feral parts that work as one, even though I’m the one actually paying attention and controlling this stolen mirage right now. One, me, cares for your safety, the other cares for your loved ones' safety. Now, how many times have you gotten hurt in the last few days?"_ **

A stolen mirage? That explained why his feral side looked like a dead Tubbo. Why’d it choose that mirage? Why did it even  _ need _ to steal a mirage?

**_"Uh…"_ ** Dream winced. His wrist was still mangled, but it didn't hurt as much anymore.  **_"A lot."_ **

**_"Exactly. You aren't too safe right now, are ya? Not to mention you lost your mask, which was enchanted to calm us down. Without it, we're always right in the forefront of your mind, waiting."_ **

Dream gulped at that thought. The fact that there were other things in his head in the first place was unsettling.

Tubbo scoffed at him.  **_"We're all the same 'thing', Dream. I'm Dream, you're Dream, the other one's Dream, we're all Dream. So privileged, the nonferal parts are. Can you believe him?"_ **

Dream didn't know who he was talking to, and he didn't care. Right now, he just had to get rid of the demon before they got to another village.  **_"Can you kick the demon out?"_ **

**_"Would've if we could've."_ ** Tubbo shrugged.  **_"He's kinda strong, if you haven't already realized. This is actually one of his mirages- we just hijacked it so you could see us."_ **

Dream stared at the bloody arrow in disgust.  **_"I noticed."_ ** He paused, an idea coming to mind.  **_"If I could teleport back to my friends, maybe I could figure it out with them."_ **

Tubbo frowned.  **_"I think you're forgetting the fact that our pearl is kinda shit and isn't good with long teleports. Not to mention the death grip the demon has on it."_ **

Dream snorted, taunting.  **_"You're saying a demon has more control over a pearl, over void magic, than an Ender? A feral Ender? Pathetic."_ **

**_“Pathetic?”_ ** Tubbo narrowed his eyes, the skin around them going black.  **_"I'll show you pathetic you little-"_ ** he marched up to Dream, walking into him and vanishing.

His chest  _ froze. _

It happened in a single instance- one moment he was fine and then the next the blood in his veins had slowed to a halt and goosebumps ran across his entire body. The demon inside him hissed, confused as to why he was suddenly an ice block.

His entire body vibrated, and like a slingshot he was hurled forward, giving him whiplash. His feet hit the ground and the rest of his body followed. He twitched, skin  _ blue _ and heart slugging to a stop.

He was _ too cold.  _ Warm up…  _ warm up! _

Then someone was next to him, someone  _ hot _ and he convulsed, trying to push his body over, curling up next to the heater that was  _ whoever it was. _ He opened his eyes and blinked. Tubbo stood in front of him, grinning like a madman, the only thing he could see in the darkness. The arrow in his neck wobbled.  **_"Take that for pathetic!"_ **

Maybe this  _ was _ another part Dream- it sure was an idiot like him, at least.

He realized after a second that everything was muffled in his ears. His eyes were also sealed shut, almost frozen, and he forced them open.

He locked eyes with Sapnap. He's never been more relieved in his life. "Thank God."

"You're freezing cold, Dream!" Sapnap was holding him, trying to warm him up. Behind him he could see a flurry of movement, of people running around. He blinked, vision going woozy. He's seeing double, he thinks, because there are two Tubbos.

Dead Tubbo, feral Dream, grinned.  **_"That's the real deal, me. That's your child."_ **

Currently the boy was freaking out, speaking in hush whispers with Tommy, who was still wearing goggles. Dream was just happy to see him  _ alive,  _ even though he knew logically that there was no reason for him not to be.

Suddenly, his surroundings flickered. All around him, people phased in and out, going from normal to bleeding to corpses and then back. Next to him dead Tubbo frowned.

The demon. Whatever the feral part of him did wasn't going to last much longer.

Everything snapped back to normal. "Chains." He rasped, worried. "I-I- chain me up."

Sapnap frowned, and he heard George speak just outside of his line of sight. "The demon, Sap."

Sapnap nodded, and Bad handed him some chains. Dream didn't really have enough energy to help, but he'd still try. He raised his arms weakly, trying to help the Blazeborn.

Right before he snapped the chain around his wrist Dream's hand grabbed his own in a tight grip. "Uh, Cold." He couldn't tell if he was calling by a nickname or if he was just really  _ cold. _ "Dream, uh, this hurts-"

"I'm not-'' his other hand came out and grabbed the Blazeborn by the neck. Sapnap coughed, choking. "It's not me!"

_ 'When will you learn, boy? Behave or face the consequences.' _

His hand squeezed harder, and Sapnap's hands wrapped around his arm, trying to pull him off. The temperature around his neck was dropping rapidly, as if Dream was draining all the warmth out of him. There were shouts all around them- people were pulling on his arms and back, trying to get him to let go. Dream tried to, he did, but his body wasn't responding to  _ anything _ anymore. He was stuck watching.  _ Watching. _

Feral him stood a few feet away, Tubbo's face set into a pinched frown. Dream looked at him, begging him to do something, _anything._ **_"This isn't really my expertise. The other one though- give me a moment."_**

Sapnap didn't  _ have a moment! _

_'I could snap his neck, make it nice and quick. Or I could teleport us both away and make him suffer using your own hands. I think that's fair, given the fact that you TELEPORTED_ _US OVER HERE!'_

The demon couldn't control his influx of emotion, so while his body didn't move he started to hiccup and cough, tears streaming from his eyes. He couldn't  _ do this _ anymore! Please no, he can't just  _ let  _ this happen how does he  _ stop it _ please stop please please please-

_ 'I guess there is another option. He did make a great conductor of hatred, for those few hours. It wouldn't be too hard to split my conscience between you two. And I could always use another pet…' _

Something hard hit his back, but he barely flinched. Sapnap's face and neck were turning blue, but not from being strangled. The skin around his neck was cold to the touch, and frostbite was spreading across his body. He didn't know if the demon was doing that, or if it was a side effect from whatever the feral Dream did.

_ 'This is your fault, Dream. They were all safe before you decided to get them involved. If he dies, it's on  _ **_you.'_ **

That was the only thing that stuck through the panic. It would be on him. It was his fault. 

The worst thing was, he couldn't speak, he couldn't talk to the demon and try to change his mind. He was stuck here watching as he slowly killed his friend, the only one he's ever felt  _ human _ with.

_ 'Humanity is overrated Dream, you'll understand eventually.' _

In the corner of his eye, he saw the fake Tubbo, who had been frozen still for a few minutes now, shudder, blinking his eyes open.  **_"What's-"_ ** he caught sight of Dream and Sapnap. The anger he saw there did not belong on Tubbo's face.  **_"No!"_ **

Something in him started to growl, deep and low and  _ terrifying. _ His hands grew claws, but instead of digging into skin they actually started to loosen his hold on Sapnap's throat. His back started to ache, as if his extra arms were going to appear.

Was he… was he going feral?

His hand slackened completely and Sapnap fell, coughing and hacking and Dream wanted to help him but he still couldn't move. The others crowded him, but no one came close to Dream, who was frozen once again.

_ 'Sometimes you really are more trouble than you're worth.' _

He wanted to say that this wasn't his fault and, in fact, was the exact opposite, but he settled for silence instead (he wouldn't believe himself, anyway). His insides felt like someone was stepping on them- his body shifted back and forth, like people were fighting inside of him.

He really needed to kick this demon out,  _ right now. _ Before it hurts somebody else.

His mouth seemed to thaw, and he spoke without even meaning to. "Get out."

_ 'Behave.' _

His head shook a tiny fraction, and the real Tubbo was looking at him curiously. Fake Tubbo, on the other hand, had disappeared. He ignored the demon. "Get out!"

_ 'Behave, before I start killing your friends.' _

Dream barely heard the threat, too focused on the fact that he needed to  _ get out. _ He felt suffocated  _ in his own body. _ He really didn't care what the demon did in his free time, he just didn't want to be a part of it anymore. "GET OUT!"

The demon didn't answer- he didn't need to. Dream was already far gone, stuck on the fact that there were  _ too many people in his head. _ He wanted them  _ all _ out, including himself. He just wanted it to be all  _ over. _ He wanted to go back to how it was before- him  _ normal _ and  _ buzzing _ because of it. Why couldn't that have lasted longer?!

His claws dug into his arms, where he had them sitting. Blood starts falling from the cuts in thick, large rivers, staining the grass beneath him. Someone was shouting at him, but he didn't hear.

_ Over. _ Just… be over already. He's so tired, just let him sleep. Sleep was nice, Sapnap was here, sleep would be nicer. Just...  _ Get out. _

_ 'You can't force me out, Dream. It's not that easy.' _

Well, maybe he can't force him out, but if he's about to die the demon would have to leave then. He’d be forced out, just like he forced his way in. Dream squeezed his hands harder, claws going deeper and puncturing a major  _ something _ (he hoped an artery) causing the blood to continue.

_ 'Stop it.' _

No.

_ 'Stop.' _

Get out of his body, then. He's not going to allow this any more-  _ he can't take this anymore. _

His already freezing body got colder as he lost more blood. Someone had wrenched his hands away, wrapping his arms with gauze. How well would that work in the long run? Not well enough. He pushed them away, wrapping his arms around his sides. The claws punctured the soft skin there and he started bleeding waterfalls of red.

"Please, stop! Dream!" Someone said, but he didn't know who. Everything was getting blurry, but the demon was  _ quiet _ and that's all that matters. He's  _ saving _ them. "You're losing too much blood,  _ stop!" _

They don’t understand. Just a little bit farther and the demon will be  _ gone _ and everything can go back to how it once was. He can heal from this, he can’t heal from what the demon was doing before. 

Dream didn't listen to them. A hand reached for him and he panicked, falling back. He couldn't let the demon get close enough to kill,  _ he couldn't. _

His head hit the ground hard, and pain flared through his body, spiking at each puncture point his claws had made. He went dizzy, and the next time he blinked he saw goggles in front of him. "Sorry, Dream."

Something hit him,  _ hard, _ and he was out.

  
  


He woke up with multiple bandages wrapped around him and in bed. His mask was back in place and he felt… normal. Good, actually, even with the injuries.

Did… did that mean-?

Had he gotten the demon out?!

Dream sucked in a sharp breath, hope building up in his chest. The fake Tubbo was gone too, which further helped his belief. He had done it.

He had kicked the demon out!

_ '...not quite, Dream.' _

_ No. _ No no no no! Dream held an arm over his face, even though his eyes were covered by his mask. Fuck! He was still here, it didn't work! Nothing was going to work! He was stuck with the demon, there was nothing he could do he was trapped trapped trapped-

_ 'Dream. Such a funny name. I like it. Maybe I'll take it.' _

Like he hasn't already taken everything else from him. He sighed, giving up. He couldn't _ do _ anything! It was all  _ over. _

_ 'Hmm, Dream and Demon are pretty similar, huh? We should combine them- Dreon? Dremon? I think I prefer Dreamon, though. What do you think?' _

"I think I want you to get the fuck out of my head!" Dream snapped. He went to get up before realizing he was chained down, thankfully. He doesn't trust his own body right now. "I don't give a fuck about what you name yourself!"

_ 'But you're going to want to be remembered once I take over your body. So, Dreamon it will be, huh?' _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When you think you’re being sly making it a ‘Dreamon’ but MagicBean and Xaonrider already guessed it 3 chapters ago before it was even shown that he was possessed. o-o
> 
> I didn't mean to write him as suicidal- he had a plan but his panic made him almost get himself killed- he never wanted to off himself. Also, he's tired, but not, like, death tired. He just wants a nap really. 
> 
> I also may be writing another story, like one of my main story kind of things (think this book and not Body Switchers) I just don't know if I have enough motivation. It'll be Dream and Techno centric (like how this one was Dream and Sapnap centric but with their rivalry aesthetic instead of Sapnap's need for affection aesthetic) if I do write it though. Mmmmm we'll see, I guess.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed! <3


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was mega long so I cut it in half, which means cliffhanger. Whoops  
> 2k words.

That was his whole plan all along, probably. Give him hope just to take it away and truly make him give up. With the mask back on his feral sides were much more tame, and he couldn't do anything to change that fact. He was stuck in this room with the demon as his only company. He never stopped talking, never stopped plotting.

_ 'You're way too weak to stop me, you know. Maybe if you hadn't tried that stupid self sacrificing plan, but now it's really all over. Since I like you, I'll keep your friends alive and safe, but you have to behave.' _

Dream, tired and given up, said yes.

That wasn't all the demon said, either. It kept whispering in his ears about how dangerous he was to be around, how his friends would be safer with him gone. He kept seeing himself going feral at Tommy, kept seeing him holding Sapnap by the throat.

He really was dangerous, wasn't he?

Emotions swam through his head, feelings of grief and rejection and compliance. Dream had a feeling they weren't normal, that they were planted, but he really didn't care anymore.

There was nothing he could _ do. _

_ 'I mean, think about it. Just a few words and you're destroying an entire castle. I wasn't in control back then, you decided to listen to me. You decided to bring Endermen into the castle. All the children and 'good' nobles that died that day were on _ **_you._ ** _ I'll take credit for the villages, but there were more nobles there then in both the villages I destroyed. Admit it, you're a danger to be around.' _

He planted his face in a pillow and barely held back a sob.  _ He was right. _ The demon ( _ Dreamon, _ he was reminded lightly-) was  _ right. _ He had been in control then,  _ he _ was the one who wanted them all to die. And when Bad was grieving the loss of his friend,  _ he _ was the one who said he deserved it.  _ Him. _

His pillows went wet with tears.

The first time they visited it was together. They were asking questions, wanting to know what the demon- what  _ Dreamon _ did the days he was gone. Dreamon told him to stay quiet.

So he stayed quiet.

He was quiet the entire time, staring at them blankly as they spoke. He had to behave, or else they were dead. They, of course,  _ noticed, _ but none of them said anything about his sudden muteness.

The second time it was just Tubbo who visited. He talked about everything and nothing, not acknowledging the fact that Dream wasn't talking back. He just brushed past it, climbing up into the bed and laying next to him, obviously needing comfort. 

Dream couldn't speak, but he so desperately wanted to. He wanted to tell him that it'd be okay. That he'd be  _ safe, _ Dream would make sure of it.

He didn't say anything, of course. He just hoped Tubbo knew he wasn't being mute because he was annoyed with them.

Tubbo didn't act any certain way, really. He kept talking about anything and everything, laying there and practically soaking up void magic like a sponge. That's what made Enders want to be so close, he thinks. The soothing lull of void magic.

"Wilbur's doing better." Tubbo said softly, after a while. He most likely noticed Dream jump at that admission. "Techno hasn't left his side since you all got back. That's probably for the better, so he's not involved."

Dream smiled at that, and he's sure Tubbo noticed it. He doesn't know if it's himself or being next to Tubbo (real,  _ alive _ Tubbo-) that makes him so tired, but the next thing he knows he's closing his eyes.

When he wakes up Tubbo is gone and the demon leaves a fake pool of blood where he laid. Dream wants to scream.

He stays silent.

They came together the third time, again. Again they talk about everything and nothing, and again Dream stays silent.

Until the end. "We've been searching around." Bad started lightly, smiling. "And we found a way to exorcise the demon!"

His eyes widened at that, but luckily no one could see. It didn't matter, though, since Dream's body moved on its own, leaning forward and yanking on the chains. A nasty sound left his throat before he started talking. "It won't work."

Everyone noticed the fact that  _ that wasn't his voice. _ Sapnap jumped at the sharp change, while Tubbo and George frowned. Bad glared, angry. "You've taken full control?"

"Not yet." The Dreamon's moves were fluid and graceful, coming up to take off Dream's mask, throwing it to the side. It clattered harshly on the ground, and Dream couldn't bring himself to care. He felt something shift within him, but it was weak and small and had no motivation. "He's still here, watching. He's not allowed to talk, though, so refrain from asking. For  _ his _ sake."

Tommy frowned, glaring. "Who are  _ you _ to control what Dream does?!"

"Who are  _ you _ to talk to me,  _ human?" _ He snapped out his claws, sharp and deadly even with the chains on. Dream didn't feel any malice or bad intent, though, so he didn't care. "You don't have the right, not after what your kind has done!"

Bad stepped forward then. "Don't act all high and mighty, mister.  _ I _ know why you were trapped in the first place. They were in the right. And look at what you're doing now! You're possessing our friend!"

Friend. Dream would smile, if he could. Friend. At least, for now. Not after Bad learns about the castle…

As if listening in, the demon smiled. "Your friend, the one who destroyed the entire castle and helped kill your other friend?" The smile turned into a smirk. "That was his fault, you know. Your friend's death."

Dream's heart sank, waiting for the telltale  _ hate _ to come into Bad's eyes. It never did. Instead, the Halfborn smirked. "I got a letter from him yesterday. He's completely fine- he didn't even  _ go _ to work that day. And everyone else in that castle, well-" he shrugged.  _ "I could care less." _

He was stunned by the admission, so much that he didn't even realize he spoke, much less  _ could  _ speak. "Bad-"

The demon came back, silencing him and pushing him back into the corner of his mind with nothing more than a warning glare. A sign to  _ behave. _ Dream wilted, earlier relief at Bad's friend being okay gone.

"Dream!" Tubbo cut in, climbing up onto the bed and sitting at the foot of it. He checked him all over, worried about his injuries. Dream couldn't really feel them anymore, anyway. They just felt like pressure along his arms and waist, weird prickly pressure. Pins and needles was the name, he thinks. "I was right, Dream! It was a joke but I was right!"

Tubbo was a halfborn, half human, and the demon's made him kill the boy before. Fear clutched his heart the closer he got to him, eyes wide in innocent determination.

Dreamon soothed him, whispering little things in his head that calmed him much more than he'll ever admit. He hated it, but he also  _ really _ wanted comfort. "He's gone, kid. And no 'family love' bullshit will bring him back, so don't even try."

"No, it won't." Tubbo's face was that of a pixie- mischievous and tricky. His grin gave Dream a fond feeling. Was he hiding something behind his back? "But  _ this  _ will."

He took a golden arrow from behind his back and stabbed it into Dream's chest.

The demon _ screamed _ in his head. 

Dream blinked, being thrown back into control so quickly that he was almost stunned into silence. He coughed, expecting pain, but the arrow had disappeared without leaving a trace. "T-tubbo?"

The kid grinned at him. Behind him the others were _ moving, _ rushing to set something up. "Just a few more seconds, and he'll be _ gone, _ Dream-"

But by then the demon had surged back, and he was laughing, cackling. "I recognize this ritual, kid. Do you know that it creates _ another _ body for the exorcised demon to go into? All you'll be doing is setting me free."

_ 'And if I don't have to deal with you and your body, then these guys are fair game.' _

Something inside him perked up at that.

Dream was given the driver's seat again and he shouted. "No!" Yanking on the chains as he backed up, away from Tubbo and the others. His back hit the wall. "I-I- can't let you do that."

Sapnap frowned, stepping closer. "He's messing with your mind, Dream." He placed a hand on his shoulder, just to let go a moment later. "You're burning up."

He was. He's never been this hot before, he _ hated _ it. He was passed the warmth of a normal human, and now he just felt feverish. It was weakening him too, he knew. It was the Dreamon, but…

"He'll kill you all." He whispered. "He'll tear you guys apart before going on and destroying all of humanity and I can't..." He couldn't _ allow _ that. No matter what he's said before he couldn't allow a demon to go and continue killing innocent humans. Not when he could stop it. "We have to get him back into his _ trapped _ body, somehow."

The demon laughed in his head, one that wasn't as sure as it was before. He sounded pained, like the arrow had really hurt him. He hoped that was the case, he wanted a bit more time.

He could feel the coldness of his pearl, slowly going back to what it once was. He's never missed the cold this much.

Bad bit his lip. "I couldn't find any ritual for that." He confessed. "The only other ritual I could find is a way to keep the demon trapped in the body it was currently possessing."

Tubbo gawked, face going hard with fury. "What?  _ No!" _

"Wait, let me finish." Bad took a deep breath. "It's a very tricky ritual, but if we do it right then the demon will be  _ completely _ trapped in Dream's body. Meaning it can't take control anymore."

_ '...what?' _

Dream spoke before the demon could take over again. "Do it. Do it-"

He was thrown back, the Dreamon taking control. "I will torment him for the rest of his days if you so much as  _ try-" _

That wasn't the best thing to say.

The thing inside of him, the thing that had been listening ever since his friends were threatened, got a little bigger. Since Dream couldn't move or talk, he decided to take a look at it.

Oh. Well  _ of course. _

"You'll be completely trapped." Bad says, smug. He moved back, going through stuff as if getting the ritual prepared. "You won't be able to talk or do  _ anything _ without using up most of your energy. And when Dream passes away, you'll be thrown back into your body under the Capitol."

"That's if you can perform the ritual right." The demon countered, yanking at his chains. The golden arrow flashed into existence for a second, and he winced. "If you don't then  _ Dream _ will be trapped, and I'll be the one in charge of this body."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final stretch guys! You've almost made it pass the angst, just a bit more!
> 
> I cannot help myself with posting stories, my god. I posted it, that new story I was talking about last chap. Called The Blood of a Chosen, check out if interested, I guess. My god I'm tired...
> 
> Also shout-out to AnyMoreBrightIdeas, they've comment hearts on almost every single chapter of every single story I've written for this fandom and I wanted to let them know that I really appreciate it <3 thank you


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> George is still here and still not a pushover, thank you for your time.  
> 2k words.

At the Dreamon's words, the thing inside of him grew a bit bigger. Something in the corner of the room flickered. It looked like Tubbo, for a second, before turning into Dream and disappearing. He gaped it at, still stuck in his own body.

"We can't give him his own body, though." Tommy cut in, looking torn and conflicted. "He'll attack all of us!"

The thing in the corner reappeared again. It looked like Dream, but more Ender-like. It was tall, skin black and covered in born markings that glowed like his eyes did. Two extra limbs hung over it, poised and ready to attack. It looked angry.

Dream couldn't help but be amazed.

"You're going to risk it?" The demon taunted. "With Dream's born powers, mixed with my own demon abilities, I'd be  _ unstoppable. _ You want to know what I was doing, the past few days? I was going around,  _ destroying entire villages. _ No one survived! If you mess up and put me in charge, the human race won't last a year!"

The room went quiet at that, tension thick in the air. The feral Dream in the corner crossed his arms, staring at him with a blank face. Dream wanted to shiver. The other Dream practically  _ oozed _ void magic. Something in him told him that this was the same thing that disguised itself as Tubbo earlier- was this what it really looked like? Is this what Dream looks like when he's feral?  **_"He bluffs."_ **

Dream blinked, surprised. He'd ask for more information, but he couldn't do much of anything right now.

Luckily, the feral Dream seemed to understand.  **_"He bluffs. He can't control this body without you. The ritual cannot be flipped back to you. Do it. Tell them to do it."_ **

Tell them? How? He doesn't really have much control. He's chained up and pushed into the back seat, how-?

The feral Dream sighed, marching up to him. It phased through Tubbo to get to him, and the boy shivered, as if he felt the void magic it was extruding. The feral version of him grabbed his hand, pulling it up. He was freezing (as if wrapped in layers upon layers of void magic), but that didn't matter.

What mattered was that his hand  _ moved. _

In front of them all, his hand raised into the air. The black skin around it started making its way down his arms, passing by the markings before crawling up his shoulders and neck. The others watched, baffled.

"What-" George gaped. "Is he going feral?!"

"Oh shit!" Tommy muttered, clutching his goggles around his eyes. "Oh shit oh fuck shitfuckshitshit _ fuck-" _

The black skin snaked across his stomach, which was covered only by bandages, most likely to help him cool down from his feverish state. Feral Dream was watching the blackness move down his torso, and Dream felt it climbing up his face.

_ 'What are you doing, Dream?' _

As if  _ he _ knew. He was just in this for the ride, now. Feral Dream winked at him, and the black skin finally reached his face, encircling both of his eyes and finally stopping, after covering most if not  _ all _ of his body. His entire body  _ hummed _ in what felt like void magic. His pearl vibrated. The bandages wrapped around his back ripped as his extra arms tore through his skin. He gasped, suddenly back in control.

The demon couldn't control him when he was feral. The demon wasn't  _ Ender, _ it had no power while he was like this.

The feral Dream grinned at him.  **_"Tell them."_ **

He looked up, blinking at the others. They were all frozen, as if worried that one wrong move would set him off. A  **_child_ ** and  **_Goggles_ ** were being covered by all sides, and this was  _ really weird. _ He was, he was  _ feral _ right now, but not from being looked at. He felt the difference, knew that he was stronger and faster and  _ deadlier _ right now. If a human walked through that door they wouldn't make it two seconds before being torn to shreds.

He laughed, surprisingly happy. He looked at his claws in amazement.  **_"This is awesome!"_ **

The other  **_child_ ** ( **_mine,_ ** something in him said) blinked at him, confused. He looked at the others before turning back to him.  **_"Uh, what?"_ **

His extra limbs crawled forward, wrapping around the chains holding him back. In one easy move, they snapped them. The chains fell to the ground with a loud clatter.  **_"Child, isn't this cool?"_ ** He made to get up, before wincing, sore.  **_"Ow. Why am I hurt?"_ **

He feels like he should remember, but his brain was more focused on  **_child_ ** and  **_Lookers_ ** right now. The feral Dream next to him slapped his forehead, as if disappointed. Tubbo looked confused too.  **_"Uh, you hurt yourself, Dream. Don't you remember?"_ **

**_"Oh, yeah."_ ** He blinked, the memory coming back.  **_"There's a demon in my head, I forgot. You should do that ritual, child."_ **

Tubbo's eyes widened.  **_"And lock it in your mind?!"_ **

Dream nodded, looking around. Everything was sharper, as if he was looking through the eyes of a hawk. It was strange, but cool. He liked it.

The others looked confused. **_Child_** and **_his child_** looked the most confused, and **_child_** looked a little scared. **_Goggles_** was next to… what did Dream normally call him? **_Warmth?_** **_Heater?_** **_Fire,_** maybe, and the other one, **_Muffin._** Yes, **_Goggles_** was next to **_Fire_** and ** _Muffin_** and the latter two looked more wary than confused and Dream doesn't understand why.

What was he doing again? Probably something to do with  **_Lookers._ ** Where were the  **_Lookers,_ ** actually?

The other Dream groaned.  **_"You cannot stay feral for too long like this, hurry up. Why'd we let the unferal part of us do this?_ **

Dream glared at them, annoyed. If  _ he _ wasn't the one here then they wouldn't be having a civil conversation right now. They'd be all  **_Looker kill Looker stabby stabby destroy down with the government-_ ** and that never got anything solved, did it?

And he lost his train of thought.  **_Lookers?_ ** No… not them...

Oh, right.

**_"I got this."_ ** Dream assured, and he could feel his skin fading to it's normal color, could feel the extra arms retreating.  **_"I would hurry, though."_ **

He had let himself out of the chains, hadn't he? Oh, that was stupid of him.

_ 'Yes, it most definitely was.' _

Pain flared in his head and he screamed, clutching it and falling to the floor. The fake Dream flickered next to him, unable to do anything. His friends were shouting all around him, but the voices were muffled in his head. His throat seemed to constrict, and it felt as if something was tearing up his insides. His bandages turned red.

He hacked up blood for a second, tensing as the familiar feeling of claws wrapped around his pearl once more. He tried to fight it, but there wasn't much he could really do. 

Mirages flickered in front of his eyes again, tainting his vision with false deaths and tragedies. Bad being buried alive, Tubbo getting experimented on, George getting clawed to death. He couldn't take the images anymore- he wanted to claw his  _ own _ eyes out.

His body got up without his control, and he went to warn the others when his mouth abruptly shut. He grabbed the closest person to him,  _ Tubbo, _ and pulled him closer by a fistful of hair. Tubbo yelped and cried out.

Before the demon could make a threat someone else bumped into him, causing him to fall. He saw Sapnap pick Tubbo up and carry him out of danger before his body was getting up, pushing whoever tackled him off. It was George, legs crouched and ready to attack.

"Oh, the human is giving it a shot?" He chuckled, but it was deep and dark and he didn't like that. "Well then,  _ come on." _

George glared and jumped forward, quicker than Dream thought possible for a human. He landed a hit on his jaw before jumping back, barely missing the demon grabbing him. 

George smirked. Dream decided that he loved this man. "I expected a challenge."

Dreamon growled and lunged, tackling him round the waist. They hit the floor and George twisted, landing in such a way that he flipped out from under him and ended up on top, leg situated over his neck.

They were both so surprised that Dream spoke, the demon letting it go through by accident. "You can fight?!"

"Took a hunting course." George muttered, and the demon took out his claws, aiming for his stomach. He jumped back just in time. "Never expected to fight a demon."

"Ain't he hot, though?" Sapnap called from the sidelines, standing protectively in front of Tubbo, Tommy, and Bad, who was working on something. Dream thought it wasn't the time to distract him, but George just flipped the born off, a smile wide on his face. "Kick his ass, George!"

This might be the first time Dream's ever wanted his ass kicked. It turns out, when George isn't sneaked attacked or surprised, he's a darn good fighter. Good to know, at least.

He wondered why he learned how to fight. George was a servant before this, why would he need to know…? And one hunting course wouldn't give him this amount of skill. He's hiding something, most likely.

He realized then that the demon was strong and fast, and George probably couldn't win in a fight. Now, he was just stopping the demon from actually being able to touch him at all. If the demon couldn't reach him, he was safe. He used his speed to his advantage.

"No human can hold me back for long." The demon growled, raising a clawed hand. George gritted his teeth as he came closer, leaning out of the way of a swipe aimed for his face and ducking under. He grabbed one of Dream's legs, twisted, and then suddenly Dream was falling.

Dream choked on nothing when the demon grabbed his pearl, forcing him to teleport. Something in him revolted, and the pearl seemed to short out, only teleporting him a few feet away.

Next to his other friends. He briefly wondered if the pearl wanted comfort.

Before the demon could react the others had jumped him, pushing him to the floor. "I'm almost done!" Bad called out. "Just one more moment!"

"I'm going to start killing your friends, Dream." The demon hissed lowly, and Dream felt his heart pound louder. The influx of void magic had gone, his feral sides were dormant, having used all their power turning him feral,  _ he didn't have a plan. _ He didn't have a way out of this. "This is your fault, Dream."

It's  _ his _ fault.

The demon twisted in the dogpile, clawed hand reaching out and hitting  _ someone _ in the stomach. He felt the claws tear through clothes and skin, felt blood fall down his hand, he heard a scream. Then the hand was retracting and moving, going to someone else. It latched around a wrist this time, crushing the bone and piercing flesh. Someone else was screaming now, dull in his ears but loud in his mind. It all blurred together, and he couldn't tell  _ who _ he was hurting.

_ Who was he hurting? _

_ Please, _ stop...

Then Sapnap appeared in his vision and the demon seemed to smirk inside his mind, pulling the other man forward, close enough to whisper in his ear. Sapnap tried to jerk away, but the demon was too strong. "I've always wanted to see what a blaze rod looks like."

Sapnap glared, eyes flashing orange right before Dream's hand dug into his torso, breaking through skin and muscle and _ oh god he can't believe this is happening- _

There was a moment of silent shock before he heard a scream of pain. The scream was cut off though, and he's sure he could  _ feel _ anger from the other born. Dream was frozen inside his own mind, still feeling what his body felt. He could _ feel _ the blood, the slashed muscles and flesh, the _ heat. _ He hated it. He hated it he hated it  _ he hated it. _

Inside the born's body, his hand wrapped around one of the blaze rods.

It was  **_hot._ **

Scalding hot, so hot that the moment he touched it he recoiled completely. Hot enough that his hand charred almost immediately. Hot enough that the  _ demon _ screamed in pain, pulling the hand out.

He looked at his hand and found almost all of the skin burned off. He pulled it close to his chest and fell back, giving up under the pile of people on him. Everything was too loud, his ears were ringing and his body was screaming.

Who… who had he hurt?

"I got it!" Bad shouted, unknowing of what just happened. He heard the hum of magic, heard the demon in his mind yell in frustration, before something white engulfed his vision and he felt no more.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> <3  
> Hope you enjoyed, cause you finally made it past most of the angst. Next chapter is diabetes inducing fluff and that comfort that comes after hurt in hurt/comfort.
> 
> Also here’s a list of Feral Dream’s nicknames for people- Goggles, Child, My Child, Fire (Also Heater and Warmth), Muffin, Pretty (Wilbur), Equal/Crown (Techno) and Elder (Phil)


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy cuddles? Fluffy cuddles. Adorable funtime? Adorable funtime.  
> 10k words wooooh boyyyyy.

He woke up… strange.

He was cold, yes. Cold, very cold, but also kind of warm. It was such a confusing feeling that he wrinkled his nose, still half asleep. His entire body felt stiff as well, as if he hasn't moved in a long while.

Or like his joints had been forced to stay still for a long while.

Dream huffed, opening his eyes and sitting up slightly, trying to stay silent.

He looked around, eyes glancing over everyone in the room. The first thing he noticed was Wilbur.

Wilbur was… he was okay! The knight hadn’t killed him!

He was sitting on the floor, leaning against both Bad and the wall, sound asleep. Bad sat next to him, letting the man rest on his shoulder while he murmured something in Demon. A healing spell, most likely.

Being Halfborns where one is slightly colder than normal and the other is slightly warmer, Dream guessed they evened each other out nicely. He wondered how much they even noticed the difference. He knows Wilbur, when he was younger, loved bundling up in a blanket and curling up next to Techno (Phil had told him, one of the first days they knew each other when Dream was upset by how much temperature affected him). Techno was a full Witherborn, which meant he was moderately hotter then humans- not as much as Blazeborns but more than Demonborns. That meant that together when he and Wilbur evened out they'd always be a little bit hotter than normal humans. While it was better than their actual temperatures, it wasn't human and that thought would always itch at the back of a born's head.

He remembers one day when he was staying in L'Manburg the first time, before the bounty on him. He had just dueled Techno- they had been fighting nonstop for  _ hours _ by that point. It got dark and when they fell next to each other due to exhaustion they quickly realized they reached their limits and couldn't get back up.

In the time it took Phil to find them and bring them home Dream realized that there's three main…  _ levels _ of born temperature. You could be slightly different- slightly warmer or cooler, like a Sirenborn or Demonborn, you could be moderately warmer or cooler, a Witherborn or Zombieborn for example, or you could be  _ significantly _ hotter or colder, a Blazeborn or an Enderborn. When it comes to evening out, evening out with one in the same group leads for the best outcome.

So when Phil finally found them Dream was much warmer than usual but still too cold and Techno was colder than regular humans, something he later said was interesting but he'd rather not deal with again. They've tried to keep their distance since then.

Bad's form was hard to really make out, due to the smokey nature of it. It lashed out and whipped about, curling around his clothes and around Wilbur, as if enjoying the chill. Bad was probably enjoying that much more then when Dream gets close- he makes everything _much_ too cold. That's the sacrifice Enders have to make to teleport, void magic is the _void,_ _of course_ it's freezing.

Speaking of, why wasn't  _ he _ freezing?

He looked around the room some more, catching the eyes of the others. Ant was curled up next to Techno's foot, the Witherborn in question leaning back in a chair, arms crossed and eyes closed. Tommy sat on the ground next to that chair, leaning back on him, probably very used to the added warmth. His stomach was wrapped in bandages, had something happened to him? They, like almost everyone else, seemed to be sleeping.

Probably because it was dark outside, wasn't it? He searched for a window, barely getting a glimpse of the night sky from the cracked open door. Okay, yes, they were all sleeping because it was nighttime.

Good to know.

He continued to look around. George was leaned against the wall too, like Wilbur and Bad were, but he had a pillow under him for comfort. He was surprised to see Tubbo curled up next to him, wrapped up in three different blankets (blankets he's pretty sure are the hunters', if he remembers correctly-). The boy yawned in his sleep, curling up tighter and closer to the hunter, who instinctively shifted and tightened his arm until it pulled the younger boy closer. Tubbo’s wrist was wrapped in a cast, like he had been hurt too. When? 

He did a mental tally. Missing one person, wasn't he? Where's-

Ah, the affectionate fucker's taking up half of his bed. Why hadn't he noticed that sooner?

Sapnap was stretched out on one side of the bed he was currently in, too far to touch but close enough to feel little bits of his warmth. Maybe that's why Dream was in a weird temperature influx when he woke up. That might explain it.

He snorted at the idea of Sapnap stealing literally the  _ only _ bed in the room from the others. 

He didn't expect Bad to hear him. "Dream?"

He turned toward the Halfborn before pausing, catching something underneath Sapnap’s ridden up shirt. He had bandages too…  _ what happened? _ “Bad?”

“Thank goodness.” Bad scrambled up, making sure Wilbur was comfortable before making his way over. The other Halfborn seemed to shiver almost immediately at his absence. “I knew it had worked but I was still a little worried- what do you remember?”

Dream blinked, looking around slowly. “I was…” He frowned, eyes widening. “We made it out of the castle?!”

Bad paused, surprised. He sighed. “The ritual was supposed to lock up everything the demon had done, I guess that includes your memories of when he was controlling you. That's probably… for the best. He was a bad muffin.”

Dream’s eyes widened. A demon? That sounds terrifying. Had he been possessed? Something deep inside him squirmed, but it was so tiny and unnoticeable that he ignored it. He looked around at the others, worried. “What did it do? Is that why everyone’s hurt?”

_ Scalding hot, so hot that the moment he touched it he recoiled completely. Hot enough that his hand charred almost immediately. Hot enough that the demon screamed in pain, pulling the hand out. _

He paused, bringing up his hand. It was completely wrapped up, and when he shifted his fingers he felt a balm rub against the skin underneath. He swore, pain zapping up his hand. “Did he hurt me too?”

Bad gaped, mouth opening and closing. He sighed. “Yeah. But don’t worry about it, everyone is safe and healing. And it’s not your fault Dream!”

Dream didn’t even know  _ what _ happened. He wanted to know, but based on how much his body hurt he probably… should stay unknowing.

Besides, apparently the Dreamon (Dreamon? No, Bad said  _ demon- _ ) was gone. He, Techno, and Sapnap had escaped the castle, and he doubted Techno would’ve left that castle with the king still breathing, so no worries there. Wilbur was okay too! They were all still hurt though- he’s guessing L’Manburg was out of health potions. “I can go to the nether and get more nether wart, if you need it for health potions. Or I can find some melons- I know you guys have plenty of gold lying around, right? For glistering melons.”

Nevermind the fact that he hated the nether- the blistering heat always made him sluggish and uncomfortable, like it was draining him. He wanted to help out, though. Why, he didn’t know. Something inside of him said he needed to help out, after what he’s done.

“No,” Bad stopped him. “I’ll go out and get the materials,  _ you _ keep resting.”

Dream frowned, something else nagging at the back of his mind. “Hey Bad? Uh… the others were hurt by the demon, right? Uh…” He glanced at Sapnap, at the bandages he could see on him. Where they were located. “Is Sapnap’s blaze rods..?”

Bad held up peaceful hands. “They’re fine, Dream. The demon was stupid- he forgot that you need special equipment to hold blaze rods. It’s kind of like a defense mechanism, the demon couldn’t do anything about it. That’s why your hand is wrapped, actually.”

He stared at his hand again. “Oh…”

Next to him Sapnap murmured in his sleep, rolling over next to him. Since Dream was sitting up, Sapnap hid his face in the side of his thigh. Heat rolled over Dream and almost forced him to relax. Bad smiled at the sight. “No one blames you, Dream.” He said softly. “It’s over, don’t… just, relax. We’re all safe, it’s over.”

It’s over. He’s heard that one before.

Dream looked around, eyes finding Tubbo. The cast on his wrist looked new- the demon had probably hurt him. The demon used  _ Dream _ to hurt him. To hurt him and Sapnap and Tommy.

_ It’s over. _

He sure hopes that’s true.

  
  


He falls asleep at some point, and when he wakes up Bad is gone and there’s another bed set up in the room. Tommy and Wilbur are sharing it, completely knocked out. It’s dark outside again- he had probably slept all day and it was now the next night. That would make sense.

“Ah, Bad did say you woke up last night.”

Dream turns his head, meeting George’s eyes. He frowned, blinking. “You’re taking up bedspace.”

George smirked, as if he found something funny. Sapnap was snoring next to Dream, head hidden in his neck and arm draped over him. Dream would probably tease him later if he had any shame to tease. Sapnap made sense though- George did not. He was on Dream’s other side, leaning against the bedrest and reading a book. He shrugged. “There’s only one chair in here.”

The chair Techno had, or had. Techno wasn't here- instead Tubbo was in the chair, snoring in between Dream’s bed and Tommy’s bed. He must’ve been really worried.

Dream wished he knew what happened. He didn’t have a choice though- no use thinking of something you couldn’t remember. “There’s the floor, you know.” He said it mostly as a joke.

“Shut up.” George said with no bite. “Bad and Techno went out to get the materials for potions. Techno said there’s a Creeperborn nearby who could help out, but it’d take a bit. I’m watching over all you idiots while they’re gone.”

A Creeperborn? A Creeperborn who has stuff for healing potions? They had to be visiting Sam (Tubbo had actually introduced them all, funnily enough. He had been a family friend, apparently- had been close to Tubbo's dad, Jordan). That’s upsetting- it’s been awhile since Dream’s seen him, he would’ve liked to go too...

“Our hero.” Sapnap murmured, tightening his grip. Dream’s pretty sure he’s still half asleep, lulled under by the promise of evening out. “Relax, humans need sleep too.”

Something in his sleep-idled brain said yes to that idea, and he grabbed George’s arm. The human flinched on instinct, but relaxed when his hand was a normal temperature. “They weren’t kidding when they said you guys felt like humans.” He muttered, sliding down the bedrest. “Okay, fine.”

Dream would’ve smiled, but his tired brain and healing body had already pulled him back under.

  
  


The next time he woke up it was daytime and the room was empty.

No, wait, scratch that.

“When’s the last time you cut your hair?” Wilbur asked idly, fingers playing with the golden locks. He was braiding it, Dream thinks. “You look like a sasquatch.”

“Hey.” His voice was raspy and croaked as he spoke. “Haven’t really had the time.”

Wilbur patted his shoulder, standing up. He wasn’t wearing bandages anymore- Bad and Techno must’ve gotten the health potions. “You’re lucky I know how to braid hair, or else you’d look like a disaster. Come on, Tubbo’s going to start an insurrection if you fall back to sleep without talking to him,  _ again.” _

He laughed at that, sitting up. Wilbur threw him a pair of clean clothes and his hoodie, and when he caught it with his burnt hand he frowned. It didn’t hurt. He brought it up to see that the bandages were gone, leaving healthy pitch black skin in its wake. 

They must’ve gotten a lot of potions.

Wilbur stepped outside as he got ready, stretching a bit to test his movement before walking out of the room. They were in a building Dream’s never seen before. “What is this place?”

“L’Manburg’s clinic.” Wilbur explained, leading him towards the exit. “It’s pretty small, since most people just recover in their own houses. It’s on the edge of town, though, and pretty remote, so they kept you here in case the demon got out.”

Dream wasn’t completely sure what the demon would do to L’Manburg, but if he hurt his friends he wouldn’t put it past the creature to do something terrible.

They left the clinic and Dream had to squint behind his mask, the bright light from the sun almost blinding. Because he was distracted, he wasn’t prepared for someone tackling him.

Something in his mind  _ panicked _ the moment he was hit, jumpstarting his body and sending a  _ fire _ signal to his pearl. He teleported, touching the wall moments before he hit the ground. Shaking his head and orientation himself, he looked around for his assailant.

Said assailant teleported next to him, smile wide and full of relief. “How dare you teleport out of my hug!” He jumped him again.

Dream, calm once again now that he knew it was just Tubbo, laughed. He ducked out of Tubbo’s way, amusement swimming through him. “Nice to see you too.”

He turned and ran.

He heard Tubbo gawk behind him and he took a second to estimate Tubbo’s next move. After a moment he ducked, turning left sharply. As expected, Tubbo teleported right in front of him, barely missing him. “Dream!”

He laughed again, slowing down and stretching slightly. He did a short scan of the younger Ender- the cast was gone, and he was using his hand like it hadn’t been hurt, so Dream guessed that he had gotten a healing potion too. “Oh, it’s been a while since I’ve moved, hasn’t it? Care for a game of tag?”

Tubbo pouted, looking behind Dream for a moment before smirking. “Dreammmm! It’s been two weeks!”

While Dream was surprised it’s been so long  _ (just how much did he forget?) _ he could tell from the tone of his voice that Tubbo wasn’t actually upset. He had also looked behind him, did that mean-? “Two weeks since when?!”

Tubbo checked behind Dream again, giving the surprise attack away. “Since those knights took you to the castle.” He explained, head tilted. Did he not realize Dream’s memory stopped around that time?

Dream’s pearl went cold and he teleported a few feet back. There was a yell and scream as Tommy dove for where he once was just to find him not there anymore. Dream cackled.

“What’s so funny, you faceless bitch?!” Tommy stood up, a smear of mud on his cheek and twigs in his hair. He looked unharmed as well, healed from a potion. “I would’ve got you!”

“You're up.” He heard George walk up from his side. The ex hunter frowned. “What are you doing?”

“Tubbo tried to tackle me.” He faked a disappointed face at the kid. “A newly healed born! So, I’m teaching him a lesson.”

“Ignore him, they do this all the time.” Wilbur appeared by George. He didn’t seem surprised in the slightest. The Halfborn walked away, a hand thrown up in the air. “Don’t let Bad see you overexerting yourself, Dream!”

“Like Bad can stop me!” He yelped and ducked. Tubbo flew over him, barely missing him. Dream stood back up, wincing slightly at his straining muscles. He hoped no one else noticed, or else they’d make him stop.

He didn’t want to. Even after the two weeks of  _ nothing, _ his life before then hadn’t had much fun for a long time. He wanted,  _ needed, _ the break. He thinks the others did, too.

“We playing tag?” He heard Sapnap walk up from behind. “Move aside kids, let the hunter show you how it’s done.”

He snorted, moving until he was in front of the fountain. When Sapnap ran for him he teleported behind him, using a hand to push him into the fountain. The Blazeborn yelped, falling in with a splash. “Good job, hunter.”

Sapnap grumbled, sinking into the water until he could only see his eyes. After a moment he started pulling himself out. Dream didn’t know if Blazeborns hated water more and less than Enderborns, but after the hunter comment he thought he deserved it. “I’ll burn your stuff for that.”

Dream laughed, picking up the sounds of soft footsteps behind him. He moved at the last second and Tubbo  _ and _ Tommy dove past him, hitting Sapnap and causing all three of them to fall into the water once again.

Tubbo immediately hissed like a cat, teleporting out. Tubbo was weird in the fact that sometimes he loved the water and other times he loathed it, and there was no rhyme or reason for it. He shook his head, water splattering everywhere. “I just wanted a hug.” He pouted.

“Then maybe you shouldn't have tried to tackle me.” Dream replied, before taking pity and hugging the Halfborn. He was soaking wet and it made Dream colder, but Tubbo relaxed into it so he stayed there, letting the boy take what he needed.

Dream might not remember what happened, but Tubbo did. He needed more comfort than Dream did. His soft shakes proved it.

  
  


He yawned loudly, hands cupping his elbows in a comforting self hug. He forced back a shiver, groaning and leaning forward. His head fell against a warm chest and he sighed. "It's late."

"It's 8, Dream." Sapnap snorted, hands taking Dream’s place on his arms. "You've been sleeping nonstop for  _ days _ now, you gotta wait until it's actual night time or else you'll mess up your sleeping schedule."

His first day being up and about seemed to have gone well. It was a tearful reunion, even to those that weren't there when he was taken to the castle. He spent most of the day being passed around between everyone before night fell and Bad put his foot down, saying to 'give him some space, you're smothering him you muffins!' They all backed off and suddenly the day was over.

Dream suppressed another groan, face squished against warm cloth. The heat against his head and arms were just making him more tired. "You sound like Bad." He mumbled.

Sapnap's laugh was airy. "That's a compliment, you muffinhead." Dream could tell that the Blazeborn was grinning. When Dream didn't respond he frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…" he lied slowly. "Just tired."

"Wow Cold, I didn't think you'd lie to me like that." Sapnap didn't sound upset, just surprised. "You know you get a face when you're upset."

Dream frowned. "I'm wearing a mask…"

"Yeah, but I can still see your mouth." Sapnap countered, walking, almost waddling, backwards. Dream followed, chasing the heat more than the body the heat was attached to. "And it does this twitching frown thing where just the  _ smallest corner _ of your bottom lip on the left side goes down and that's how you show you're displeased with something."

Dream was practically half asleep by this point, but he still had to stop and give Sapnap an incredulous look. "...what?"

Sapnap looked at him for another moment before flushing, laughing. "I stare sometimes, okay! It's the only part of you I can see, so- _ rry!" _

Dream snorted, appreciating the other born's antics. It would be nice to at least reciprocate and answer Sapnap's questions. "I guess I'm just worried."

Sapnap frowned, confused. "About what?"

"About what happened." He clarified, hand coming up to brush against his shirt. The bandages were gone, but the wound probably scarred, if it was as big as Dream thinks it was. "Bad explained that there's a demon trapped inside me. Aren't you scared that it'll get out? That it'll hurt you again?"

It was weird, knowing that something happened but not remembering it. Knowing that someone used your body to hurt those you love but not  _ remembering _ it. He didn't know  _ how _ to feel, because he  _ doesn't remember. _ It's a weird neutral state where he wants to be aggravated but he doesn't have anything to point it at because he doesn't  _ know. _ He could point his anger at his amnesia, but everyone he's talked to says it's  _ better _ that he doesn't know and he  _ agrees _ because it sounds like it did awful things to Dream specifically but curiosity killed that darn cat and Dream wants to  _ know- _

Sapnap scoffed. "It's never getting out." He promises. "And if it does, we're all here, ready to help you. I know you don't remember, but he tried to hurt us multiple times. The last time was the  _ only _ time he actually got us. Every other time you stopped him."

Something deep inside of him twisted, and he growled. "Yay." he spat. "I stopped him every time  _ except _ for the one where he maimed you. Such a good friend I am."

Sapnap paused, staring at him. His arms moved, coming to wrap around him. The born shifted back, sitting fully on the bed and bringing Dream down with him. "Do you feel guilty, Dream?"

"For something I don't remember?"

"Answer the question." Sapnap's face was serious. Dream tilted his head up to meet his eyes.

"I… I don't know." He confessed, brushing a hand through his hair. "I dunno  _ what _ to feel."

Sapnap stared at him, eyes burning into his skull before he stood up, untangling himself from the Enderborn and moving towards the door. "We need George."

"We- wait?" Dream stalled, brain whiplashing at the sudden change in topic. "For what?"

"To watch us." Sapnap clarified. "Bad's worried that the health potion might've missed something -which it didn't, duh- and he doesn't want us leaving L'Manburg by ourselves in case it did."

Dream was still confused. "Leaving L'Manburg?"

Sapnap just smiled at him, something that twinkled with amusement. He knocked on George's door once before barging in.  _ "Oh Georgie!" _

Dream wasn't privy to their hushed conversation, mostly because he was too tired to listen in. Whatever it was, it led them outside of L'Manburg, to a grassy hill nearby.

"Ah." Sapnap stretched, dropping a blanket down on the top of the hill and raising his hands. "It feels  _ wonderful _ out here."

It was too chilly, in Dream's opinion, but it wasn't enough to really annoy him. George had on a jacket, so Dream doubts he could even feel it. The man in question snorted. "Sit down, you idiot, and start that fire you promised."

Sapnap gave a cheeky salute, grabbing his bag and dumping out it's contents, which was just a bunch of sticks he had grabbed along the way. The born lit his hand on fire, sticking it into the pile and letting it catch before pulling back. "Ta da!"

Dream still didn't know why he was out here. "Can I get some type of explanation as to why I've been pulled out of my room?"

"Thought you might need to get out." Sapnap shrugged, and his lie was obvious. "Walk around a bit."

"You need to work on your lying." Dream stated dully, turning to George. "Why are we out here?"

George slapped Sapnap on the back of the head, as if disappointed. He sighed, sitting next to Dream, though not close enough to touch. "Sapnap thought you might've been getting overwhelmed- we thought a change of scenery might help."

He gestured around them, and Dream could understand what he meant. It was beautiful out- the clear, starry night sky and big, full moon. It shined across the entire land, painting the grass blades white. 

A warm hand touched his chest, pushing him to sit down. "Relax." Sapnap's voice had gone soft. "Watch the stars- Wilbur said there was a meteor shower tonight."

He seemed to be correct, since a shooting star flew past at that exact moment. His eyes widened as he followed the star across the sky. Leaning back against the grass, they all watched for a few minutes, pointing out stars as they passed.

"I think I am." He said after a break in the shooting stars. "Feeling guilty, I mean."

George was sitting up, watching the stars and the land around them. He had his crossbow next to him, prepared for any wandering mobs. "Why?"

"I'm not sure." He admitted. "I don't know  _ why _ I feel guilty, I just  _ do. _ Like some part of me says I should."

"Well, you've forgotten that part." Sapnap sat up, frowning as he looked at him. "And it should stay forgotten, knowing how you can get."

Dream gave him a half hearted glare. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you blame yourself for a lot of things you can't control." George said quietly. "Like what happened to those hunters. The ones I blamed you for."

_ Blood, death, Endermen. They screamed, snarled, chanted to 'protect protect kill Lookers the little one protect the child kill protect protect' it was too much too much blood the net the net the net- _

"It wasn't your fault." George continued, even quieter than before. "I'm sorry for ever blaming you."

Dream bit his lip, his mind telling him to just  _ accept _ the apology and leave it be but- "You were right, though." It was out before he could stop it. "I called them there- they came because they heard me panic. If I had just stayed calm, they'd still be alive."

"You said they tried to take off your mask." Sapnap recalled. "So it would've ended the same way for them, no matter what you did."

He can see their sense, but they didn't _ understand. _ "I shouldn't have gotten caught in the first place." He snapped, frustrated with himself. "I wasn't paying attention and they snuck up on me and-"

"Dream." Hands grabbed either side of his face, and he was turned until he met George's eyes. It felt like he  _ saw _ him, even with the mask on. "It was either you or them.  _ They _ knew what they were getting into when they signed up as hunters,  _ you _ had no choice. I'm happy it ended this way, they probably deserved it."

Dream blinked, more surprised than he could even express. "But-" his mind scrambled onto something, anything he could say as a retort. "You guys wouldn't have deserved that."

"We  _ wouldn't _ have removed your mask." George said calmly, smiling slightly. "You had no control over what happened to them, just like you had no control over what that demon did. None of it is your fault."

He swallowed slowly, George's words digging into his mind and sticking there. "I wonder if I'll see them." He said softly, almost to himself. "When I die."

There was a second as they digested what he said, before Sapnap was suddenly curled around him, pulling him into a fierce hug. "If they get  _ anywhere near you _ I will burn them so badly that they're stuck in limbo." Dream thinks he meant it more as a joke, but the snarl in his voice said otherwise.

Dream had to laugh. "It was just a thought." He assured. He paused, face going still as a harsher thought came to mind. "What happened at the castle, Sap?"

Both of them froze, Sapnap moreso. He shifted, still holding onto Dream. The warmth was seeping into him, reminding him of furnaces and blankets. It made him drowsy. "Do you remember what you told Tubbo, before we left?"

It took a second before the thought clicked. "Oh yeah!" He grinned, something vengeful in his smile. "The Endermen plan. Did that work?"

"Like a charm." Sapnap wasn't as joyful as him, but he seemed happy about the castle's destruction too. "I set it on fire afterwards, too. We even got to kill the king!"

"Really?" He wishes he remembered _ that. _ He doesn't like killing, doesn't like taking away a life, but some people… he deserved it, after what he did to Dream. What he did to Dream and Sapnap and Wilbur and Techno and George and every other born and servant he ever messed with. He hoped it  _ hurt. _ "Techno didn't kill him?"

Sapnap's face went sullen quickly. "He, uh-" he looked for the right words, missing Dream's yawn. "He went after the guy who stabbed Wilbur."

Oh. Oh yeah.

He hoped that one hurt too.

Dream looked up at the stars, catching another one streaking across the night. He yawned again. "I guess I really didn't have any options." He finally murmured.

"You didn't." George agreed immediately. "Shame on them, really. Hunting a child."

"What?" Dream sputtered, half out of it. "I'm not a child!"

"You're barely older than Sapnap, and he's a child. Besides, I'm older than both of you, so, in Ender, you'd both be children."

"I'm not a child!" Sapnap joined in the protest, much more amused than Dream.

"How'd you learn that?!" Dream asked, surprised if not a little embarrassed. George would be referred to as  **_Elder_ ** if he brought him up in Ender- he wouldn't be surprised if Tubbo hasn't already done that. "Who's teaching you Ender??"

"I can read a book." George grinned. "I find Ender customs interesting, and that's the only translation that all Ender books agree on. It's hard to translate born languages."

"That's the point." Dream hummed, tilted his face towards Sapnap. He was so  _ warm. _ "Anyways, wouldn't it be shame on you too for hunting me, a  **_'child'_ ** down?"

He doesn't think they understood, they just used context clues. "We're special cases." Sapnap assured, grinning as well. "Besides, you like us too much to get upset at us for that."

"Hmmmm I'll be the judge of that."

"Shush,  _ child." _ George swatted his hair, getting a chuckle from both of them. The meteor shower picked up, and they quieted down to watch the rest of it.

By the time it ended Dream was already deep asleep.

  
  


“Okay, but think about it!”

“No.”

“Come on, man!” Tommy cried, waving his hands. “If a Blazeborn shot fire at an Ice Wyvernborn, would it even hit them? What if the Wyverborn freezes the Blazeborn? Would that hurt or make them feel human?”

“Being an icicle is not a human trait, Tommy.” Dream gave him a look.  _ “Do not _ bring this up to either of them.”

Them being Sapnap and the little Ice Wyverborn that’s lived in L’Manburg her entire life. Her parents were killed by hunters and L’Manburg’s had custody over her since. She’s young, 11 or 12, and she looked up to both Tommy and Tubbo so there’s a chance that if Tommy tells her this she’ll actually do it. Sapnap, being the absolute  _ idiot _ he is, would do it in a heartbeat.

“Why not?!” Tommy whined. “You know I was taught in school that experimenting was  _ good.” _

“I’m guessing you slept through the ethical unit.” Dream muttered. “That could hurt them, and if you hurt any of the kids Puffy looks over she  _ will _ kill you.”

Tommy shivered at the thought. “I thought only male sheep had horns before I met her.”

He laughed at the object  _ terror _ in his voice. “You’ll leave them alone?”

“Fine, yeah.” Tommy groaned, before his eyes lit up again. “What about pitting a siren and a mermaid against each other? I’m pretty sure there’s a Merborn around here- let’s get them and Wilbur to have a sing off and see which one gets enchanted first!”

“What is with you and making borns compete against each other today?” Dream finally brought up, making sure to catch Tommy’s eyes behind the mask. “You know they come to L’Manburg to get  _ away _ from that, right?”

Tommy flinched, what he was saying finally catching up to him. “I didn’t… I didn’t mean it… like that.”

“I know.” Dream ruffled his hair. “Which is why I brought it up to you.”

Today was the second day he had been up and about, and after a stern talking to from Bad, he decided to take it easy. Unluckily for him, today was the day where apparently everyone was busy, either farming or mining or hunting, so there was no one to talk to. Tommy was manning the gates again, he was the only one inside the walls, so here he was.

“Hey, Dream?” Tommy’s voice was soft when he spoke next. “If you could be a human, would you?”

If he could be a human? Well, in a survivalistic standpoint, being a human was terrible compared to any born. He’d never be a human from that point, but…

Tommy wasn’t talking about that. He wanted to know if he’d be a human so he didn’t have to worry about being hunted. About his pearl and being cold. About going feral.

Would he?

“Hmm.” Dream hummed, thinking. “No, I don’t think so.” At Tommy’s look he continued. “Sure there are some definite downsides- the cold and my dislike of water, but most of the problems I have with being an Ender is  _ because _ of humans. Here, in L’Manburg, those problems go away. If you asked me outside these walls I might say yes, but in here that’s a definite  _ no.” _

He doesn’t know if Tommy was expecting such a long answer. The boy gulped. “I wanted to, uh, say sorry.”

Dream tilted his head. “Why?”

“For looking at you, in the castle.” His voice was so very soft. “I know you don’t blame me, but I also know you haven’t really gotten over it. Tubbo said most Enderborns hate their feral sides, and he says that you’re…”

Tommy trailed off, but Dream knew where he was going with it. “That I’m scared of it.” He finished. “That I’m scared of hurting someone I care about because I went feral. He’s not wrong- many Enderborn worry about that. It’s one of the reasons why most Enderborns are nomads, even before the Genocide Decree. We have Endermen constantly around us, so we either live somewhere remote or we keep moving, to stay away from humans.”

“But you shouldn’t have to change your life for other people.” Tommy protested, eyes wide and defiant. “I know why humans are scared of borns, I know that having powers when others don’t is scary, but… why? Why do they-?”

“That's a complicated question, Tommy.” He started, trying to organize his thoughts. “It’s important to remember, though, that most humans aren’t scared of borns. Most humans understand that they don’t have to be afraid. Those that are either had a bad experience or haven’t met a born, which isn’t their fault.”

“But all the dudes in the castle-” Tommy looked confused. “-I’ve been there multiple times and they’re all dickwads.”

“Well, dickwads are usually drawn to power and each other, which is why they all meet up at the castle.” He explained. “But if you go to the capitol, if you walk down the streets, you’ll see an entirely different scene.”

While there were no hostile borns in the capitol, you could see all types of passive borns intermixed with humans, living their lives freely. While they still deal with trouble, like all borns, it shows that both humans and borns can live together peacefully.

That’s why borns were made, after all. To live with humans.

_ "But they don't like us, so why do we pretend to be like them?" _

_ "Because they won." _

“Yeah, I guess so.” Tommy frowned. “Still, I’m sorry. I don’t want to be the reason why you’re afraid of going feral.”

Something warm swelled deep inside of him at Tommy’s words. For a single second, he felt so welcomed and  _ loved _ that he knew if he took his mask off, if he looked Tommy in the eyes, then all his feral side would do is hug him. It was the strangest feeling in the world.

The day was hot, hot enough that his temperature had warmed a little. Enough that it wouldn’t hurt a human to touch them. He took a second to think about it before leaning in and hugging Tommy. “You're the reason why I trust them, Tommy.”

And it was weird, because he  _ did _ trust his feral side. He doesn’t know when it happened (maybe during the demon time that he forgot about?) but he did trust his feral side, completely. It all started with Tommy. He never thought it would be possible, but here he was.

And, as if it was listening, he could hear the faint sounds of an Ender lullaby in the back of his head.

  
  


He was in the center of L’Manburg when he heard someone shout.

**_"You're an Enderborn?!"_ **

Dream turned towards the strangely familiar voice. Standing behind him was the strange Ender he had met before. The half and half man (teen? Dream couldn’t tell). Dream snorted at the thought. 

Well, it makes sense why he wouldn't know Dream was an Ender. He didn't have a mask the last time. "Yeah, I am. What about you?"

"Uh, yeah?" The kid was both awkward and very confused over his question. Maybe it was just because of the sudden switch in languages. "I know I don't wear a mask but-"

"That's not why I'm asking." Dream wasn't going to look a gifted horse in the mouth. There was another Ender here, probably not fully Ender but Ender nonetheless. Just because they were strange doesn't mean they weren't _ Ender. _ He extended a hand. "I'm Dream."

The Ender took his extended hand. "Ranboo."

“Nice to officially meet you.” He was kind of surprised that Ranboo was in L’Manburg, that he  _ found _ L’Manburg, but maybe it was just this world’s version of fate. “Now, I should warn you, you’re about to get attacked.”

Ranboo’s face twisted into confusion right before Tubbo teleported above the other boy, falling on him. “You’re an Ender?! You look so cool!”

Ranboo whimpered, in obvious pain. Tommy cackled, running over. “I told you there was a weird born here Tubbo!”

“He’s Ender!” Tubbo said again, teleporting off of him and next to Tommy. Dream still doesn’t understand how his pearl can do that. It was unfair, really. He’s not even full Enderborn-  _ Dream _ wants to be able to teleport like that- “There’s another one, Tommy!”

Ranboo was still flat on the ground, in obvious pain. “I regret everything.”

Dream laughed, something that was borderline wheezing. Ah, he’ll fit in  _ just fine _ here.

  
  


"I am  _ so _ out of practice."

Techno snorted, wiping a cloth along his sword. There was no blood on it, but some dirt had smeared across one side and Dream knew he was one for cleanliness. At least when it came to his weapons. "You can say that again."

Dream pouted. "You aren't supposed to  _ agree _ with me."

"But then I'd be lying." He responded calmly, sheathing his sword. "And I am a man of  _ honor." _

They both snorted at that.

"Wow, Dream." Wilbur appeared from what Dream thinks was a tree, hopping down and to the ground. "That was terrible- can we spar? I might actually be able to beat you now."

Firstly, Wilbur was in a tree? What? Secondly- "Shut up, I'm having an off day, that's all."

"You haven't been in a legitimate sword fight in months, I'm guessing." Techno made his way to Wilbur's side, flicking his hair. "Not to mention Bad mother henning you into bedrest."

"I've been so bored!" Dream lamented. "You don't know how  _ weird _ it is to not remember two weeks of your life. Who am I anymore?!"

"Midlife crisis at 20?" Wilbur questioned, raising an eyebrow. Techno shrugged. "Dream, calm down."

"I can't even fight anymore!" He was joking at first, but now some buried worries were starting to pop out, and he was truly starting to panic. "What will I do with my life? Become a painter? I can't paint!  **_How does one paint?!"_ **

"...I am not the person who should handle this." Techno said calmly, turning around and walking away. Wilbur sighed, walking up and wrapping his arm around Dream's shoulder.

"You've been up for a day now, Dream. Give yourself some time to adjust. Your body's been in a lot of stress lately." His voice was soothing, with a small hint of melody laced in, like he was trying to siren Dream into being calm. "Just give yourself some time, okay?"

He nodded slowly, leaning against Wilbur.  **_"Okay."_ **

Wilbur blinked. "Uh, what?"

Dream cocked his head.  **_"Okay? I said okay, Pretty, what about it-"_ ** he paused, confused.  **_"Why'd I call you Pretty?"_ **

"You're speaking Ender, Dream." Wilbur reminded, but Dream was too busy trying to figure out why he called Wilbur  **_Pretty._ ** That was new, he's never done that before. Was this a slip up, maybe? Like when he called Phil  **_Elder?_ ** But this was different, cause  **_Elder_ ** made sense but  **_Pretty_ ** did not.

(Inside his mind two feral parts cackled at his confusion, finding it hilarious.)

"Dream?"

The born blinked, looking up at Wilbur again. "Sorry, Pre- Wilbur, I said okay."

"Good." The other born nodded, tilting his head in question at his almost slip up but not commenting. "Now, come-on. It's getting dark and I promised I'd sing at the bar tonight. I know you'd love to be part of my audience, yeah?"

"So you can try to enchant me into doing something stupid again?" Dream asked, amusement filtering into his smile. "Nice one, Wilbur."

The Siren Halfborn pouted. "You never come hear me sing anymore."

That's a lie, he does that all the time. He just never goes into the audience, because that's where Wilbur directs most of his powers and even though he's a born if Wilbur really tried he could get him to do something he wouldn't do on his own.

Like sneak into Phil's office when he's not supposed to. Luckily Phil realized what Wilbur did and Dream got off scot free. He'd rather not risk it again though.

"I'm pretty sure Bad would be against you using your magic on me right now." Dream smiled. "After everything that just happened."

He meant it as a joke, but Wilbur paused, concern and something close to panic shooting through his face. "Dream." His voice was serious. "Know that I would  _ never _ make you do  _ anything-" _

"Woah, calm down." It was his turn to calm the situation. "I didn't mean it like that. I trust you, Wilbur, I know you'd never do something like that."

Whatever the demon did, anyway. He's not sure, but he knows Wilbur wouldn't do that. He  _ does _ trust him.

Wilbur still grimaced, looking a bit out of it. "You don't have to sit in the audience." He said after a moment, looking unsure. "But you can still listen if you want?"

Dream nodded, smiling at the other man just to show that he didn't harbor any bad feelings. "Of course, I love listening to you sing."

It was one of the reasons he missed L'Manburg whenever he had to leave.

Wilbur's grin lit up the darkening sky. "Let me go grab my lute."

  
  


He wasn't expecting this when Tubbo had demanded a sleepover last night.

The Halfborn in question teleported into the bar, telling Sapnap to 'find another icebox' before calling for a sleepover and teleporting away. By the time Dream got to Tubbo's room he had turned the place into a furnace of its own, the bed piled high with blankets and the air warm to the point of toasty. It was heaven, because the heat was almost as good as Sapnap but he also had Tubbo, could feel the Ender bond they had and the void magic Tubbo gave off. All of that combined gave him the deepest sleep he's had in a while.

And then Tubbo made him get up early in the morning. It was still cold outside, the sun not even up as Tubbo dragged him out of L'Manburg and to the river, where Dream had pulled himself out of after he ran away from Sapnap, George, and Bad. The memory made him shiver.

Tubbo was prepared though, setting down the bag he had brought and pulling out blanket after blanket. Dream doesn't even know how they all  _ fit, _ honestly. After the fifteenth one he stopped, wrapping them around Dream before settling next to him. Dream put an arm around him, engulfing him in the cocoon as well. "You wanted to watch the sunrise?" He asked.

Tubbo nodded. "It's been a while since I could." He explained. "I always sleep past it."

"That's a good thing." He replied. "Sleep is more important than seeing a sunrise."

"That's not it, though." Tubbo murmured, eyes set on the horizon. Lines of light blue and lilac were starting to streak across the sky. "I miss them, too."

Them? Whose-

There's the sound of teleporting, and suddenly an Enderman is sitting next to them.  **_"Hello child."_ ** It greeted Tubbo.  **_"Long time no see. Who is he?"_ **

**_"My…"_ ** Tubbo frowned, the word lost on him. Dream is technically an elder, but that was something you called an older random Ender. You wouldn't call a parent  **_Elder,_ ** and while a younger sibling would be  **_child_ ** an older one wouldn't be  **_Elder_ ** either. Tubbo wasn't even fully fluent in Ender, so Dream understood the trouble.  **_"Uh, my…"_ **

**_"Brother."_ ** He supplied lightly. "Kin or Protector would also work, they’re synonymous in Ender.  **_Kin. Protector."_ **

Tubbo sounded the words out, saying them a few times before turning back to the Enderman.  **_"My brother."_ **

**_“Nice to meet you, child."_ ** The Enderman nodded in greeting, smiling softly. Around them, the sounds of teleports increased as more Endermen arrived at the shore of the river.  **_"We've been told a lot about you, whenever your child brother can get up on time."_ **

Dream smiled, mind completely going over the little translation error his brain had. Endermen went by  **_child brother_ ** for younger brothers and  **_elder brother_ ** for older brothers, and while it made sense, once he learned human it made everything a lot harder- especially because he thinks of Tubbo as just  **_my child._ **

Which, to be fair, isn't right.  **_My child_ ** would be for parents to their kids, not for siblings. He's a protector, a guardian, so it kind of works, but it still wasn't right. He still likes it better, though.

**_"Nice to meet you too, Elder."_ ** He greeted formally, eyes glancing at each Enderman as they appeared. There were a  _ lot, _ he was kind of ansty. So close to L'Manburg, why were they here?  **_"What brings you to the river?"_ **

**_"We pass along this route each month."_ ** The Enderman explained.  **_"As the sun rises we take a minute to rest. Since your child brother lives nearby, we try to keep on schedule so he can visit."_ **

**_"I see."_ ** He murmured, glancing at Tubbo, who was beaming. "Is this why you brought me out here?"

"Yep!" Tubbo nodded enthusiastically. "I've known about them for a while now but you've never been home when they've visited."

**_“He wanted to surprise his elder brother."_ ** The Enderman continued, smile serene and full. The other Endermen chattered quietly, soft background noise that soothed him immensely. Either that or the void magic.  **_"And we wanted to see the last of you that still roamed this plane."_ **

Tubbo frowned, leaning closer. "Did he just say brother or protector? I couldn't tell."

"Elder brother." Dream explained, eyes flickering to each Enderman.  **_"Elder brother._ ** Remember older is  **_elder_ ** and younger is  **_child._ ** Older brother is  **_elder brother."_ **

Tubbo wrinkled his nose. "It sounded a lot like  **_protector_ ** though."

The Enderman chuckled, listening in and finding something amusing. Around them, the Endermen were waving at them, whispers he could barely not hear brushing against his ears before they all started teleporting away.  **_"And on we continue. It was nice meeting your elder brother, child. It was nice meeting you, child."_ **

Dream nodded, smiling. The air was buzzing with void magic, almost making him giddy.  **_"And you too."_ **

**_"See you stars!"_ ** Tubbo waved, smiling widely as the Enderman, the last one still there, teleported away.

Dream laughed. "You said stars, Tubbo, not soon."

Tubbo frowned. "I did? But  **_stars_ ** is soon, isn't it?"

He snorted.  **_"Soon,_ ** Tubbs, not  **_stars. See you soon,_ ** not  **_see you stars."_ **

Tubbo's mouth opened into an o shape. "Oh, oops."

Dream laughed, ruffling his hair. Tubbo scooted into closer, buried in his side and under the blankets. "Those are easy to mess up, I get it."

"I'm getting better though!" Tubbo insisted. "I can hold a whole conversation, it's just words that I don't use often get to me. I've never used brother or sister in Ender before. Never used mom or dad either."

He wondered how Tubbo's dad was, to not completely teach Tubbo Ender. He doesn't blame him- Tubbo was a Halfborn so it wasn't like he'd be the odd one out for not knowing Ender as a Halfborn and Tubbo was young when he separated from him. Still, he just wants to know the guy who helped make Tubbo into the Tubbo he was today. He wants to know who made  **_Tubbo_ ** into the 'last gift' he really was.

**_"Elder brother_ ** really does sound like  **_Protector."_ ** Tubbo mused, smiling. "I bet they did that on purpose."

Above them, the sun peeked out over the horizon.

  
  


It was on the third night of his after recovery time when he finally met the hellhound.

“He’s Techno’s.” Tubbo explained, stepping up next to it and rubbing its head. “He found him in the Nether as a puppy. Some hunters had caught him, so he let him go and Floof followed him home.”

“F-Floof?” Techno named a hellhound, a deadly and dangerous beast, Floof?

“He said that Tommy always called dogs ‘floofs’ when he was a baby so he did that to tease him.” Tubbo wrapped his arms around the gigantic beast. “He’s super warm!”

And he's super _ cold. _

Dream extended a shaking, shivering hand, letting Floof sniff it before placing it on his head. Tubbo was right, Floof was  _ very _ warm- definitely enough to even Tubbo out with little to no problem. He wasn’t warm enough to do the same to Dream though. Maybe if he added a furnace and 15 blankets he’d be close enough.

That was a lot of work though. He’ll let Tubbo keep the hellhound. He’s got a Blazeborn, which was much better in his opinion. “T-that he is.”

“I know it’s not enough for you.” Tubbo cocked his head, smiling strangely. “Not everyone can achieve thermodynamic equilibrium with something so cool!”

Thermodynamic what? Dream blinked, staring at the boy, who had gone back to petting Floof. Tubbo… Tubbo just…

There was no point in trying with him, was there?

“Well, enjoy your t-thermo equality, Tubbs.” He ruffled the boy’s hair, turning for the stairs. “I’m f-freezing.”

Tubbo said something he didn’t quite pick up on as he went up the stairs. It was true, he was  _ very cold. _ He had spent most of the day with Ranboo, working on his teleporting. Neither of them were anywhere near as good as Tubbo, but it was important to know that they  _ could _ teleport on command if need be. That, though, meant that his pearl had used a lot of void magic and his breath was seeable in the air.

He made it upstairs and knocked on the door of the room he had been staying in. Sapnap didn’t answer immediately, and he wrapped his arms around himself for some warmth, wishing he had hugged Floof for a little while to get rid of the cold. If his fingers weren’t already black he’s sure they’d be blue right now. He could feel the beginnings of frostbite settling in.

Finally the door opened, and Dream blinked when he locked eyes with George. “Oh.”

“My god, you’re freezing.” George grabbed his arm, warmth seeping in even though George’s face contorted into obvious discomfort. He pulled him into the room, closing the door behind him. “Sapnap!”

“What?” There was a balcony connected to their room, which Sapnap had been standing out on. In the dark night the air had turned chilly, which would be great for the Blazeborn, but it was just making Dream colder. “Dream- oh shit, you're shaking!”

“Cause he’s cold, idiot!” George snapped, waving him over. Dream, as cold as he was, didn’t speak. Something about Sapnap and George’s interactions were very attention grabbing. “Go hug him or something!”

Sapnap did just that, rushing forward to catch him in a hug. The Blazeborn flinched away for a moment, shocked by the cold. “Why are you so cold?! It’s not that cold outside, how-?”

They were both looking at him. Oh, he should probably speak. He was surprised with how much he stuttered. “P-Pr-Practicing o-our t-t-teleports.”

Wow, he _ somehow _ got even worse. Nice.

“You idiot.” George glared at him, but Dream couldn’t tell if he was actually mad at him. He walked over to the closet, still talking. “I feel like your parents warned you against teleporting into hypothermia.”

“Pr-probably d-did.” Dream shivered harshly, arms tightening around himself. “D-Didn’t l-listen.”

George muttered something, coming back with several blankets. He wrapped them around the Enderborn, tucking the ends in to keep them from falling. With a barrier against the harshest part of the cold, Sapnap again pulled Dream towards him, wrapping him up in a hug. “Keep those on until you warm up some. I swear, how did you survive all that time by yourself?”

Dream could bring up the fact that he almost didn't survive, multiple times. He could bring up the fact that George was one of the reasons he almost didn’t survive. He could ruin the mood.

He smiled instead, warmth finally seeping back into him. “I’m a-amazing.”

Sapnap snorted, sitting back on the bed and pulling Dream towards him. He rested his head on the back of his shoulder. “Whatever you say, Chilly.”

Dream blinked. “Like t-the food?”

“Like the temperature.” The Blazeborn’s voice was muffled due to his face being pressed against his back. “I guess amazing doesn’t equal smart.”

“H-Hey-”

George wrapped another blanket around his face, cutting him off. “Less talking, more warming up.”

He did as told, curling up on the bed to try and gather more heat. His shivers lessened, and after a few minutes he started taking the blankets off. “I’m good.”

While he liked the blankets, this evening out thing was a two way street, and the blankets blocked too much of the cold for Sapnap, making it more than a little unfair for him. This way they’d both get something out of it.

Sapnap seemed excited, going right back to how he was before, wrapping his arms around the other man and pulling him back into a warm chest. He set his chin on Dream’s shoulder and looked at George, as if trying to signal something.

George sighed. “We’re going to leave soon.”

Dream blinked, startled. “What?”

Sapnap cleared his throat. “Since the king and most of the nobles are dead, the bounties are all gone- we don’t have to worry about anything other than the market anymore, and that’s barely a problem now that the nobles are dead.”

“We can go out and explore without always looking behind our backs.” George continued. “Sapnap isn’t wanted for treason and I’m not a runaway servant anymore. We can go  _ do _ stuff- stuff we’ve always wanted to do and just never could.”

“We’re gonna become treasure hunters.” Sapnap added on, hiding his face in the crook of Dream’s neck. The warmth spread from that point, causing him to shiver. “We have a ton of money due to your bounty, plenty to buy a cursebreaker from a witch for Ant, but we have to find one in the first place. Which together might cost more money than we have.”

“So you need to go get more.” Dream summed up slowly. “Which is why you’re leaving.” He looked forward, staring at the wooden walls for a few moments. “Can I go with you guys?”

Both froze, as if not expecting that. “You want to go with us?” George asked, baffled. “And leave your friends? Leave Tubbo?”

“Tubbo can handle himself.” Dream said firmly, even though the idea of leaving him when he didn’t  _ have to _ hurt inside. “And you guys are my friends too. Besides, if Tubbo wants to see me  _ nothing _ will be able to stop him- you guys saw him teleport all the way to Bad’s house from here.”

“True.” Sapnap murmured. “To be honest, I was going to invite you anyway- I don’t feel like giving up my cooler yet. I just didn’t want to make you choose between them and us.”

“It’s not choosing.” Dream snorted. “Besides, they’re used to me coming and going, and after so long, I don’t think I could settle down, not after I’m finally free to do what I want.”

He’s been on the move his entire life- ever since he was young and with his parents. There was only one time that he settled down for a while- when Phil first found him and Tubbo in L’Manburg. That was before the bounty on his head, when all he  _ wanted _ to do was stop and settle and take a break. Then the bounty came and it was taken from him once again. This time,  _ he _ could choose what he wanted to do.  _ He _ could choose if he wanted to settle down and relax for a bit or go on another adventure.

He already knew his answer.

The bounty was finally, truly gone. The king was dead and there were no nobles to take his place. No hunter in their right mind would go after him now that the bounty was gone- the black market didn’t have power since all the nobles who bought things from there were dead. He really didn’t have to worry anymore. He really didn’t have to  _ run _ anymore. He could make his own decisions, without worrying about others trying to cause him harm.

He was  _ free. _

“So,” He continued. “When are we leaving?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone who doesn't read the end notes will be so confused by the Wilbur/Pretty bit and I find that thought hilarious.
> 
> I didn’t really wanna do the memory loss bit (I hate amnesia plots) but I also didn’t want him to be fuckin' traumatized for the rest of his life so *shrugs*
> 
> I kept on adding parts to this to try and make the comfort/ending as satisfying as possible, I hope I did well <3
> 
> Also WE AREN'T DONE YET. I have an extra TWO chapters coming out. I wanted to make the last chapter special, so I'm also taking short idea/prompts, so that everyone who wants something that they haven't seen yet can see it then. More about that next chapter~

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Chronicles of a Very Confused Ender](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28036254) by [oofins_Mcgoofins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/oofins_Mcgoofins/pseuds/oofins_Mcgoofins)
  * [Fierce Protector](https://archiveofourown.org/works/28309371) by [A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell](https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell/pseuds/A_Cloudy_Day_In_AU_Hell)




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